Construction Starts on World’s Largest Floating Offshore Wind Farm
Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Kværner apprentice Arne Linga started construction of Hywind Tampen, a floating offshore wind farm, at Kværner Stord. The technology project opens up new opportunities for Norwegian industry.
Prime Minister Solberg and Linga started the cutting robot on the project’s first sheet of steel on Thursday, 1 October. Kværner’s assignment will include building 11 floating concrete hulls for the turbines on Hywind Tampen.
“Hywind Tampen is a new chapter in Norway’s narrative as an energy nation. With support from the Norwegian authorities, we’re not only building Norway’s first offshore wind project; we’re refining floating offshore wind technology along with the Norwegian supplier industry,” says Equinor president and CEO Eldar Sætre.
“Eighty percent of the world’s offshore wind resources are located in deep water areas and are available for floating offshore wind projects. If we can use projects like Hywind Tampen to make floating offshore wind competitive with other forms of energy, the technology will be able to deliver large-scale renewable power and contribute to a more sustainable global energy supply. A floating offshore wind market will also open up considerable industrial opportunities for Norwegian industry,” Sætre says.
The development of the Hywind Tampen project involves around 250 full-time equivalents for Kværner employees. Kværner’s project will also generate around 800 full-time equivalents in ripple effects for suppliers and the public sector, among others.
