Japanese-headquartered Eneos Renewable Energy Corporation (ERE) has entered into an agreement to purchase a 20% interest in the 75MW Norwegian GoliatVIND floating offshore wind farm project.
The project involves the construction and operation of a floating array with five 15MW turbines.
It will be installed on Odfjell Oceanwind’s semi-submersible steel foundation design Deepsea Star on the border between the northern Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea in northern Norway in water depths of around 400 metres.
The project will be jointly developed with the other shareholders, Source Galileo, Odfjell Oceanwind and Kansai Electric Power Group, aiming for a commercial operation date of 2028.
The Norwegian government has set a CO2 reduction target of 50%-55% of 1990 levels by 2030, and to achieve this it is essential the electricity used by the oil and gas industry is to be obtained from renewable energy sources.
The government has also set a target of 30GW of offshore wind power by 2040, and discussions are underway on government subsidies.
GoliatVIND received a grant of NOK2bn (US$185m) from the Norwegian state enterprise ENOVA SF earlier this year, under a programme aimed at demonstrating and reducing the costs of floating offshore wind.
This is ERE’s first overseas offshore wind project and the second floater after the Gotō City scheme.
ERE intends to contribute to this site by utilising its know-how and experience in onshore and offshore wind developments.
In addition to joining the Floating Offshore Wind Technology Research Association (FLOWRA) in June this year, which aims to promote technology development and innovation for the commercialization of floating offshore wind power, ERE will also participate in advanced initiatives in Norway.
The developer said it will use the knowledge and expertise gained from its floating offshore wind operations to contribute to the full-scale development of the offshore wind business anticipated to emerge in Japan over the medium term.
The company will lead the market toward the full commercialisation of floating offshore wind power generation during this period, ERE said.