Odfjell Oceanwind has acquired Orsted’s 80% share in the 100MW Salamander offshore wind farm in Scotland.
The developer will now work with existing partners Simply Blue Group and Subsea7 to progress the floating project as a demonstration for commercial-scale offshore wind.
Located 35km off Peterhead, Salamander was awarded an exclusivity agreement in the INTOG leasing round and has received section 36 consent from the Scottish Government.
Odfjell Oceanwind chief executive Per Lund said: “Innovation projects are essential to de-risk relevant floating offshore wind technologies and the supply chain prior to embarking on larger projects like those in ScotWind and many of the INTOG projects that are planned to be operational in the 2030s.
“OOW has closely monitored the UK market for several years and see the country’s commitment to net zero and well-established framework conditions, including annual CfD rounds, as investor-friendly features.
“The UK has become a global leader in offshore wind, and we are very excited that Odfjell Oceanwind is establishing a presence in Scotland, where our sister companies Odfjell Technology and Odfjell Drilling have been present since the 1980s.”
Salamander has adopted Odfjell Oceanwind’s Deepsea Star semisubmersible steel foundation for the project.
Lund added: “The Salamander project share acquisition is a key part of our ambition to make floating wind relevant and commercial through the gradual scale-up in project and wind turbine sizes before reaching utility scale.
“It follows as a natural stepping stone from our recent announcement of the ScaleWind project where we secured a slot with a 24MW grid connection at the Marine Energy Test Centre, Norway with the ambition of installing one full-scale floating offshore wind turbine in 2028.
“Working closely with our Salamander partners, we intend to demonstrate to key stakeholders that floating technology and the supply chain are ready to deliver cost competitive projects at scale.”
Simply Blue Group chief executive Hugh Kelly said: “We are delighted to welcome Odfjell Oceanwind to the Salamander Offshore Wind Farm.
“This partnership brings new strength and momentum to one of the country’s most significant offshore wind developments and together, we are supporting Scotland’s ambition to become a global leader in offshore wind, delivering long-term benefits for communities, the economy and the environment.”
Seaway7 chief executive Stuart Fitzgerald said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Odfjell Oceanwind to the Salamander Offshore Wind Farm.
“Together with Simply Blue Group, we look forward to collaborating closely to advance floating offshore wind technologies and support the scaling up of the UK’s renewable energy capabilities.”