Norwegian Offshore Wind (NOW) and Spain’s Basque Energy Cluster have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration between the supply chains in Norway and the Basque Country .
The agreement was signed at the WindEurope Annual Event 2024 in Bilbao this week.
These two offshore wind nations have different strengths that will create valuable synergies, said NOW.
“The leadership and technological capabilities of Norwegian companies, especially regarding floating solutions, qualify them as powerful and reliable partners. For this reason, we expect that the agreement with Norwegian Offshore Wind will facilitate fruitful collaborations between companies from Norway and the Basque Country,” said José I. Hormaeche , Managing Director of the Basque Energy Cluster.
According to NOW, Basque Energy Cluster has an advanced and established supply chain in offshore wind and has been and will be a crucial partner in NOW activities in the Spanish market and beyond.
The MOU aims to lay the groundwork for new contracts between companies from the two countries in the future, said NOW.
“The MoU will strengthen NOWs presence in Northern Spain, and this collaboration will foster opportunities for the Norwegian supply chain in one of the most attractive floating offshore wind markets in Europe right now. The cooperation with the Basques could also open doors in other offshore wind markets in Europe , ” said Einar Tollaksvik , head of the industry-led working group for Spain in Norwegian Offshore Wind.
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The Spanish Government has set a target of 3 GW of installed offshore wind by 2030 and plans to carry out its first auction in the Canary region this year.
The Marine Spatial Plans (POEMS) have outlined 5,000 square kilometres suitable for offshore wind with several of the areas located outside the coast of northern Spain.
The regulatory framework for offshore wind in the country is expected to be published in 2024.
In September 2023, Spain’s national grid received its first power from the DemoSATH floating offshore wind project, introducing this type of renewable generation technology to the country’s energy mix for the first time.