Setting the Course for Norway's Offshore Wind Commitment

Last week, leading researchers, industry partners, and students gathered at the University Aula for the offshore wind conference "Science Meets Industry"—where future solutions were up for discussion.

Article written by Håvard Kroken Holme/UiB. Translated into English by Kjersti Boge Christensen.

The "Science Meets Industry" (SMI) offshore wind conference is held annually in collaboration between NORCE, UiB's Bergen Offshore Wind Centre (BOW) and GCE Ocean Technology.

SMI stands out from other offshore wind conferences as it uniquely brings together research and industry.

– It provides insight and new knowledge about the latest developments in the research front and offers the chance to meet both leading industry players and decision-makers, says co-organizer and administrative leader Gry Ekeland Parker at Bergen Offshore Wind Centre (BOW).

Norway's Leading Role in Offshore Wind

Mads Arild Vedøy from RWE Offshore Wind—the world’s second-largest offshore wind company—shared insights into Norway's leading role in offshore wind during his presentation, "A Global Leader in Offshore Wind."

Vedøy discussed Norway's strong position due to its experience in the oil and gas industry and its existing supplier industry. He also emphasized the need to reduce costs to remain competitive in the international market and highlighted the importance of collaboration with both local and international players to foster innovation and sustainability.

– I believe that Norway still has a comparative advantage when it comes to building out floating offshore wind. This is particularly due to the foundation we've built from oil and gas and the supplier industry surrounding it. We still hold that comparative advantage, but we must act quickly. To maintain that edge, it is simply necessary to get started quickly and for the government to stick to its plan to allocate Utsira Nord before the election next year. We have strong maritime expertise in Norway, built on decades transitioning from fisheries to oil and gas, and now you have companies focusing more and more on offshore wind. We've built up this expertise step by step, and that’s why we possess the competence we have today. The large-scale development in Norway will indeed be floating offshore wind. This is where Norway needs specialized expertise, which is not only valuable here in Norway but also in a growing international market for floating offshore wind, Vedøy says.

Read the full article at UiB (language: Norwegian).