Two milestones in Norwegian offshore wind development

The area allocation follows a process where The Norwegian Ministry of Energy received two applications for the allocation of project areas for floating offshore wind in Utsira Nord. It is now concluded that both applicants met et the qualification requirements and provided good responses to the qualitative criteria. They have been assessed by the following qualitative criteria: Cost level, realism and project maturity, innovation and technological development, execution capability, sustainability and positive ripple effects.

30,000 MW within 2040

The Norwegian Government has an ambition to allocate areas for 30,000 MW of offshore wind production by 2040. In 2024, the first offshore wind project area, Sørlige Nordsjø II, was awarded to Ventyr. The project areas in Utsira Nord are suitable exclusively for floating offshore wind technology.

- I am pleased that we can move forward and award project areas in Utsira Nord to two strong applicants. These projects will contribute to developing floating offshore wind technology and increasing renewable power generation in South-West Norway, said Minister of Energy Terje Aasland as he released the news this week.

In addtition to repressenting av a new source of renewable energy and strengthen long-term energy security, the goal for offshore wind delveopment is to secure jobs and value creation in Norway’s maritime and offshore industries, asys Terje Aasland. Photo: Charlotte Hartvigsen Lem. 

Submission within two years

The allocation is the first step in the process. Following this allocation, the competition for state aid support will take place after the maturation phase. To be eligible to participate, applicants must have submitted a licence application and provided a bank guarantee to enter the auction. The auction will only be held if at least two applicants meet the requirements.

One applicant will be awarded state aid, and the winner will be the one who bids the lowest level of financial support to realise their project. Bids exceeding the maximum support cap of NOK 35 billion, as set by the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget), will not be accepted.

The winning bidder will be required to develop a project as close to 500 MW as possible, depending on the selected turbine size. Applicants who do not receive state support may apply to extend their exclusive rights to the project area in accordance with the Offshore Energy Act.

The companies may submit proposals for project-specific impact assessment programmes, conduct assessments and apply for licences. Licence applications must be submitted within two years of the approval of the impact assessment programme.

Supports new technology

An important goal in the Norwegian floating offshore wind development is dual: To increase Norway’s power production and to strengthen the Norwegian supply industry.  I addition to the support for large-scale wind parks, as Utsira Nord, the state-owned enterprise Enova this week launched a third round of funding for companies developing solutions that can make floating offshore wind cheaper and more efficient.

In this new call for proposals, companies can apply for up to NOK 2 billion per project. The aim is to test and demonstrate new technology that can reduce costs and improve performance in floating offshore wind. The application deadline is 12 February 2026.

Read more at Enova’s pages.

A rapidly growing market

Global investments in renewable energy are now twice as high as investments in fossil energy. Solar power accounts for about sixty percent of green energy production, with wind covering most of the remainder. Offshore wind investment is increasing rapidly worldwide, both in Europe and in Asia. Norwegian companies generated NOK 40 billion in offshore wind revenue last year, creating work for around six thousand Norwegians globally.

The call for proposals is part of the programme Competition for Support to Small-Scale Commercial Floating Offshore Wind Projects. The programme will run several competitive rounds toward 2030. This round is open for projects with one to five turbines. These smaller projects are important for testing technology and reducing cost and risk ahead of large-scale developments.

Who can apply?

The support scheme covers investment projects with a lifetime of 20–30 years that start within five years of approval. Projects must be located in the Norwegian Exclusive Economic Zone. A fee will be introduced for projects that are not carried out after receiving support.