Mainstream, BP, Statkraft Partner with Norwegian Port as Part of Offshore Wind Bid

Mainstream Renewable Power, BP and Statkraft have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Windport in Mandal, Norway, as part of their bid to develop an offshore wind project at the Sørlige Nordsjø II (Southern North Sea II; SN2) area.

According to the developers, Windport, a subsidiary of Global Ocean Technology, is building a port ideally located to serve the SN2 site offshore Norway. The port is expected to be a “one-stop-shop” for offshore wind port services, serving the SN2 area and the wider North Sea, as well as global regions.

The MoU also incorporates a Collaboration Charter, which includes capacity-building of the port’s subcontractors, many of which are Norwegian. According to a press release from the consortium, the approach laid out in the Collaboration Charter will help drive the port’s cost optimisation and innovative development, whilst also boosting its ability to service the global offshore wind industry.

“Norway is on the verge of an offshore wind revolution and new collaboration models such as our Collaboration Charter will play a key role in ensuring its success. We have been working with Windport over the last couple of months to aid the development of the port and local subcontractors in the region and we are impressed by the leadership Windport is displaying in spearheading the Agder region’s involvement in offshore wind”, said Sebastian Bringsværd, Spokesperson for the SN2 consortium and Head of Norway and Sweden at Mainstream.

“We’re offering the best of bp, Mainstream and Statkraft to help create what will be a vital port for not only Norway but the global offshore industry as well. Going beyond what we see competitors are doing in the market, we need to ensure we bring all levels of the Norwegian and local supply chain on board to capitalize on the growth we expect to see in the years ahead”.

Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind (now Mainstream Renewable Power) entered a cooperation for the development of a fixed-bottom offshore wind project in Norway at the beginning of last year, after the Norwegian government opened two areas for offshore wind in 2020.

In June last year, BP joined the consortium to propose an offshore wind project in the Sørlige Nordsjø II area, with a plan to also explore opportunities to power offshore oil and gas facilities with clean electricity.

Mainstream Renewable Power and Statkraft have also partnered on a bid for a floating offshore wind project at the Utsira Nord area in Norway, together with Ocean Winds. This consortium recently added Aker Solutions to its team to develop the technologies for the project at that lease area.

Both Utsira Nord and the first phase of the Sørlige Nordsjø II are planned to be put up for auction in the first half of 2023.

In the first tender for the Sørlige Nordsjø II area, the Norwegian government plans to award 1.5 GW of offshore wind capacity, while 1.5 GW in the second phase which will be auctioned at a later date.

Utsira Nord has a capacity of 1.5 GW which is divided into three 500 MW zones. The zones will be awarded on the basis of qualitative criteria, including facilitating innovation and technology development in floating offshore wind.

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