WIND: Norwegian Ocean Grid project gets 82.7 million NOK under Green Platform Scheme

The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Iselin Nybø, announced September 3, 2021, that the Ocean Grid project will get financial support of 82.7 million NOK, through the Green Platform scheme.

The government wishes through Green Platform to enable rapid investments in green and sustainable solutions and products. Green Platform was launched as part of the government’s third stimulus package in response to Covid-19 pandemic, in May 2020.

Ocean Grid partners

Energy companies and developers
Equinor, Agder Energi, Aker Offshore Wind, Deep Wind Offshore, Hafslund Eco, Fred. Olsen Renewables.

Suppliers and manufacturers
Aibel, Nexans, AkerSolutions, DNV, Benestad, ABB, Hitachi ABB

Research and innovation
SINTEF, NTNU, UiO

Ocean Grid project

The project will develop new technology, knowledge and solutions to enable a profitable development of offshore wind on the Norwegian continental shelf. It will look particularly at the way offshore wind will be connected to the grid. The work will touch on both bottom-fixed and floating wind farms, and will in the long term enable the creation of green jobs and increased export revenues.

The project partners will also bring their own financial contributions to the table, raising the total to 125.5 million NOK for the development of the offshore grid. Both the supply industry and energy companies will participate actively in the project, together with the research institutions. The project will span over three years.

New cable design

“Our objective is to realize offshore wind on a large scale. We have to build wind farms in a cost-effective way, and we of course need to get the power all the way to the customers. It’s crucial to our success that the energy companies, research institutions and suppliers collaborate towards this goal,” says Florian Schuchert, vice president of offshore wind solutions at Equinor (who leads the project).

The Ocean Grid project will also address the issue of market design and the regulatory framework linked to the development and operation of an offshore grid to connect large offshore wind farms. It will develop Norwegian technology and a supply industry to provide new cable designs, subsea technology and floating converter stations. Ocean Grid also has a research component, led by SINTEF, that will solve specific research challenges.

“This project will develop technology and solutions that are essential to succeed with offshore wind. It will lay the foundation for a profitable offshore wind development in Norway, and technology that can provide increased exports and new green jobs,” says chief scientist at SINTEF, John Olav Tande.

Unique position

Europe has a plan of installing 300 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050. The Norwegian industry is world leading when it comes to sea and subsea technology, developed over five decades of oil and gas extraction. Norway is therefore in a unique position to build upon this expertise and take a significant portion of this new market.

“This project is important and on point to develop the right solutions and new technologies that will enable profitable offshore wind in Norway. This will lay the groundwork for new concepts, new jobs and a new supplier industry that can compete internationally,” says the responsible for offshore wind at Fred. Olsen Renewables, Lars Bender, who will also act as chairman of the project’s board.

Equinor is going for net zero, but what does that really mean?

Business as usual is no longer an option because society has to move faster towards a net-zero future. Climate change presents a fundamental challenge to society. It is a shared challenge, and our industry can play an important role. Equinor aims to become a leading company in the energy transition.

5 ways Equinor contributes to a net-zero society

1. Equinor commits to reducing emissions from production of Oil & Gas.
2. Equinor accelerates investments in renewable energy and grows a profitable renewables business.
3. Equinor invests in new technology to create and build new low-carbon markets, value chains and industries.
4. Equinor invests in nature-based solutions.
5. Equinor uses their voice to support the goals of the Paris Agreement and policies that support net zero.

Here is a detailed overview of Equinor’s climate ambitions

Investors participating in Climate Action 100+ and Equinor ASA

Net-zero is everybody’s game

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Source/Pictures: Equinor ASA