Norway Puts Its First Offshore Wind Farm on Hold

Norway’s first licensed offshore wind farm, Havsul, is on hold until further notice. Vestavind Offshore AS, which owns the project, sees no possibility for investment in offshore wind power in Norway within the current regulatory framework.

Chairman of Vestavind Offshore Board Wenche Teigland, said in the company’s press release that the reason behind the setbacks in offshore wind development is lack of the necessary political support.

The license for Havsul offshore wind farm was granted in 2009, at a time when the oil and gas industry experienced recession and layoffs. Today the situation is different. There is high activity in the oil and gas industry and the political desire to invest in renewable energy industries is lower than it was three years ago.

“There has been an enormous technology development in offshore wind in recent years. Vestavind Offshore has been a pioneer and helped to redefine the installation and design and thereby to cut costs. The trend is going to continue, and the economy of offshore wind will be better than it is today. But how long it will take before offshore wind power can be realized in Norway is hard to say. It requires either a change in the priorities of politicians, or we will have to wait for technology development that will enable offshore wind power to compete within the current framework,” said Mr. Teigland.

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Offshore WIND Staff, December 5, 2012; Image: vestavindoffshore