Around the world with Team Norway: Ambitious goals for floating wind in California
“California aims to achieve 100 per cent clean energy by 2045, with offshore wind energy contributing significantly to this target,” states Sharon Røe, Senior Advisor in Green Maritime and Offshore Wind at Innovation Norway.
“Specifically, California plans to generate 25 gigawatts (GW) from offshore wind, which is expected to meet 10 to 20 per cent of the state’s energy demand. This substantial wind power contribution underscores its importance in California’s transition to a sustainable energy future,” she explains.
Five new areas for floating wind auctioned off
There are currently five existing leases in California: two in Northern California off Humboldt County and three in Central California near Morro Bay.
“Equinor is involved, so that’s of course exciting for Norway. It has secured one of the leases in the Morro Bay area estimated to have the capacity to generate up to 2 GW of electricity,” Røe says.
GeoProvider uses data mining to reduce offshore wind costsGeoProvider provides subsurface risk management for offshore wind, lowering the cost of offshore wind projects while boosting safety for humans and the environment. “GeoProvider is a pioneer in data processing for offshore wind, enabling the expansion of this crucial industry,” says Wim Lekens, CTO of GeoProvider.
OSC: virtual precision, real-world impact OSC delivers advanced simulation solutions for offshore wind operations, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. “We de-risk offshore projects by helping our users to identify the unknowns and quantify the known challenges,” says Head of Business Development Siri Teigene Hatløy.
There are a total of five offshore wind developers involved in projects in Northern and Central California. Apart from smaller pilot projects, these are the commercial-scale projects that will transform the state’s energy landscape, paving the way for substantial clean energy production and establishing California as a leader in offshore wind development.
“The leased areas have the potential to produce over 4.6 GW of offshore wind energy. However, more lease areas will be required to achieve the state’s 2045 offshore wind goals,” she says.
“Equinor is involved, so that’s of course exciting for Norway. It has secured one of the leases in the Morro Bay area.”
Sharon Røe
Senior Advisor in Green Maritime and Offshore Wind, Innovation Norway
Norway is a valuable and attractive partner
The offshore wind market in California is in its early stages. A lot must be done before development starts, but there is plenty of will and ambition in the state. In April 2024, an offshore wind programme was held as part of the California-Norway Business Festival. The programme focused on enhancing collaboration between Norwegian and Californian stakeholders in the offshore wind sector.
According to Røe, the Business Festival was a great success. A business panel brought together executives from all five California offshore wind leaseholders: Equinor, Invenergy, Golden State Wind, RWE and Vineyard Offshore.
Final strategic plan and ripple effects of offshore wind development
In June 2024, the California Energy Commission (CEC) released its final strategic plan for offshore wind development in California.
“The plan outlines several critical next steps to achieve California’s targets, including investments in a multi-port strategy, electricity transmission developments, permitting process, supply chain and workforce training, stakeholder engagement, and identifying suitable sea space to reach 25 GW of offshore wind,” Røe explains.
Goodtech pioneers automated offshore wind substructure assemblyGoodtech automates the production of offshore wind substructures, increasing cost-efficiency and productivity. “We deliver a pioneering robotics and automated production line solution for the offshore wind industry. Manual assembly of substructures is now obsolete,” says Håkon Skjåk-Bræk, Business Development Manager at Goodtech.
Glamox lights up offshore wind with smart solutionsGlamox delivers smart lighting solutions for the marine and offshore wind industries, lowering costs and increasing sustainability. “By digitalising offshore lighting, we are bringing something new to the table,” says Ole Petter Andresen, Director Commercial Management - Marine and Energy Applications and Products at Glamox Group.
The development of offshore wind will generate significant economic activity in local communities.
“In California, the first offshore wind projects are expected to create numerous jobs for a highly skilled workforce. These projects will also provide substantial funds through community benefit agreements and invest considerably in local workforce development programmes and domestic supply chains,” she says.
