Fossil fuel major BP targets Norwegian offshore wind

Trio of BP, Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind sets sights on bottom-fixed offshore wind in Sørlige Nordsjø II region

by Craig Richard 14 June 2021

Statkraft has helped to develop more than 700MW of operational offshore wind capacity off the UK, according to “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç Intelligence, including Sheringham Shoal (pic credit: Alan O'Neill)

BP has joined a consortium of Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind to develop offshore wind projects off Norway’s south-west coast.

Each company will hold an equal share in the development consortium bidding to develop projects in the Sørlige Nordsjø II area in the Norwegian North Sea.

Wind farms in Sørlige Nordsjø II — a 2,591km2 site south-west of Kristiansand in the south of the country– are likely to be built with fixed-bottom foundations.

The Norwegian government expects them to be built without state aid, and plans to announce an auction process in the first quarter of 2022. 

BP, Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind stated they will explore the potential for exporting electricity to other countries — beyond just neighbouring Sweden and Denmark — as well as opportunities to provide clean power to electrify offshore oil and gas facilities.

They added that they will work with local suppliers to help develop Norway’s offshore wind supply chain.

The partners explained that the consortium brings together each company’s individual competences, covering the full value chain from project development to delivery of electricity to the market

BP is developing offshore wind capacity off Denmark, the UK and the US, according to “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç Intelligence, the research and data division of “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç. It also has an onshore wind business in the US, and has worked in North Sea offshore oil and gas from project development and operation to energy trading.

Meanwhile, Statkraft has helped to develop more than 700MW of operational offshore wind capacity off the UK, and is experienced in wind farm operation.

And Aker Offshore Wind’s parent company Aker has worked in offshore oil and gas as a supplier, developer and operator. Offshore wind veteran Philippe Kavafyan is due to take over at Aker Offshore Wind later this year.

The trio is likely to face stiff competition in Norway, as several bidding consortiums have set their sites on Sørlige Nordsjø II.

One such group comprises Equinor, RWE Renewables and Hydro REIN, another is made up of Statkraft, Aker Offshore Wind and Aker Horizons, and a third consists of Ørsted, Hafslund Eco and Fred Olsen Renewables.