Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) is partnering with Norwegian utility Agder Energi to bid to develop a floating wind farm off the coast of Norway in the 1500MW Utsira Nord zone.
Utsira Nord is one of two areas in the North Sea that the Norwegian government has opened to licensing applications for offshore wind development.
Agder Energi is majority-owned by 25 Norwegian municipalities with a combined shareholding of 54.47%.
The remainder of the utility is held by Statkraft.
Its operations to date include production from its 49 hydropower plants, distribution and sale of renewable energy, as well as energy-related services.
The utility is headquartered in Kristiansand, southern Norway, where it operates the regional grid. It is also co-developing a 43 gigawatt-hour battery cell factory.
Agder Energi chief executive Steffen Syvertsen said: “Norway has strong offshore industrial expertise, which can be applied in the emerging floating wind industry.
“With the extensive experience Green Investment Group brings in offshore wind development worldwide, and floating wind in particular, we can help Norway create a world class offshore wind industry.”
GIG head of UK and Europe Edward Northam said: “Agder Energi’s Norwegian energy market expertise and regional presence combined with GIG’s global floating offshore wind and infrastructure experience make for a strong partnership that can drive forward the floating offshore wind sector and provide a launch pad for Norway’s supply chain to engage with the global floating offshore wind opportunity.”