European renewable energy producer Statkraft, ?Aker Offshore Wind ?and Aker Horizons? have ?signed a cooperation agreement to explore commercial-scale offshore wind opportunities in Norway.

Last year, the Norwegian government announced it will open applications for licenses for the development of wind power in two areas in the North Sea, namely Utsira ?Nord and Sørlige?Nordsjø?II (SN2).?

The cooperation will explore the opportunity for bottom-fixed offshore wind at SN2. The companies will establish an integrated project team, for joint preparation and submission of an acreage application and further development activities.

The opportunity is driven by? falling?investment ?costs, ?the location?of the SN2 ?project facilitating? the export ?of ?power produced offshore ?to other European markets, as well as the electrification of? Norwegian?oil & gas installations.?

“By entering a cooperation with Aker Horizons and Aker Offshore Wind, we are exploring a value-creative opportunity in Norway… Strong growth, falling technology costs and a changed competitor landscape indicates that offshore wind will take a larger role in the European energy transition; therefore, we see the cooperation with Aker as an opportunity for substantial value creation and accelerate Europe’s green transition,” says Statkraft CEO, Christian Rynning-Tønnesen.

“…Norway’s leading offshore industry, including a strong supplier industry, means we already have the building blocks and capabilities in place to be at the forefront of the energy transition. We look forward to working with Statkraft to develop the offshore wind industry further, reducing emissions and creating new jobs for the future,”?says Øyvind Eriksen, president and CEO of Aker ASA and chairman of Aker Horizons.?

This article is reproduced at www.powerengineeringint.com