Statoil floats California dream

Statoil is stepping up activity in the US and has thrown its hat into the ring for a floating wind farm off the coast of California.

“California is very interesting because of its ambition and the market conditions are good,” Statoil head of wind asset management Trine Ulla told reNEWS at AWEA Offshore 2016.

The company responded to a recent request for interest for a 68,000-acre site that lies 53km northwest of Morro Bay in the Pacific Ocean. Water depths range from 800 metres to 1000 metres.

US developer Trident Winds had earlier proposed a 100-turbine 765MW project in the area and is targeting a 2025 commercial operation date.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to continue collecting data and information on the area and may proceed with a competitive auction.

The floating wind sector is in its infancy and “needs bold states like California to get the industry going,” added Ulla.

Statoil is also considering a project off Hawaii, which has a 100% by 2045 renewable energy goal.

“We’re looking at opportunities around the world,” said Ulla.

reNEWS will be at AWEA Offshore WINDPOWER 2016 Warwick, RI, 25-26 October. Come visit the team at booth 11 to learn how you can take advantage of our unrivalled business intelligence on offshore wind.

Image: Statoil