Equinor and SINTEF Bolster Floating Offshore Wind Ties

Equinor and the Norwegian independent research organization SINTEF have entered into a strategic collaboration covering four areas, one of which is floating offshore wind.

The purpose of the agreement is to facilitate the exchange and development of ideas and radical solutions between the two partners. The companies will collaborate on projects that can provide good value creation and help Equinor’s transition to become a broad energy company.

The collaboration between Equinor and SINTEF on floating wind is already well underway, the Norwegian energy company said.

Equinor has already built the world’s first floating wind farm, Hywind Scotland, and is in the process of building Norway’s first floating farm, Hywind Tampen.

The offshore wind collaboration between Equinor and SINTEF dates back to the first test of the Hywind technology in SINTEF’s Ocean Basin Laboratory, in 2005.

Looking forward, the collaboration will enable the development of technology that will make future projects cheaper, more efficient, and more predictable.

Among other things, the two partners will look at anchoring systems for the turbines, maintenance, control systems, and grid connection.

In addition to improving the Hywind concept, the two partners will also examine other concepts for floating wind.

“Equinor and SINTEF have a long history together, but we must continue to look ahead. With this agreement, we can quickly achieve results in areas that are important for the energy transition,” said Sophie Hildebrand, senior vice president of Research and Technology at Equinor.

The other collaboration areas include marine systems and the challenges related to marine structures, anchoring, risers and underwater pipelines underwater technology, underwater robotics, safety, and the environment; energy systems in connection with the development of renewable energy, including storage methods for renewable energy; and modelling studies related to these areas.