Norway has unveiled funding for the Ocean Grid project, which is being led by Equinor and will develop new technology, knowledge and solutions to enable the development of offshore wind on the Norwegian continental shelf.
The Nkr 82.7m (€8m) funding was announced by the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry Iselin Nybo (pictured, left).
The work look particularly at the way offshore wind will be connected to the grid.
It 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, said Equinor.
Project partners will also bring their own financial contributions to the table, raising the total to Nkr125.5m.
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.
The project will last over three years.
Equinor vice president of offshore wind solutions Florian Schuchert (pictured, centre) said: “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.”
SINTEF chief scientist John Olav Tande said: “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.”
Fred Olsen Renewables offshore wind head Lars Bender will act as chairman of the project’s board.
He said: “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.”