Norwegian offshore wind industry off to a good start in 2025

The WindEurope Annual Event gathers over 12 000 participants and is considered Europe’s most important meeting place for offshore wind. Norway has a strong presence every year, with representatives of the authorities, the supplier industry and technology environments.

The pressing question is: How can we realise the potential for offshore wind quickly enough and on a large enough scale?

In mid-April, the news came that the state aid scheme for Utsira Nord has been approved by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA). ESA acts as the watchdog of the EEA Agreement for Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, assessing whether state aid complies with EEA regulations. This approval sends a long-awaited signal of progress for Norway’s first large-scale floating offshore wind project.

“We think it is very positive that the government is following up on offshore wind ambitions with concrete measures. Projects like Utsira Nord are crucial for setting the value chain into motion and building a competitive Norwegian offshore wind industry,” says Kjetel Digre, CEO of Aker Solutions.

Aker Solutions is one of the players investing heavily in floating offshore wind. Among other things, the company has upgraded its Verdal yard. Alongside its investment, Aker Solutions brings more than 50 years of experience from offshore projects such as Troll and Johan Sverdrup, as well as the world’s largest floating wind farm in operation – Hywind Tampen – which has a capacity of 88 MW. For comparison, the first of the wind farms in the Utsira Nord area has a planned capacity of 500 MW.

“Offshore wind is not just a new investment area – it is a natural development of what we already know and do. We have the people, the experience and the technology needed to deliver profitable projects on a large scale,” says Digre.

During the conference, State Secretary Astrid Bergmål of the Norwegian Ministry of Energy met with several Norwegian and international players and highlighted the need for close cooperation between the authorities and the business sector.

“We must build on each other’s strengths, from developing technology and expertise to bringing projects to fruition. We have all the prerequisites for success,” says Bergmål.

Over the next decade, it is expected that more than 200 GW of new offshore wind capacity will be installed globally. Europe is leading the way, but the competition is tough. WindEurope is an important arena to show that Norway not only has ambitions but also the ability to deliver.

“Now is the time to show that Norway means business. With well-developed projects, long-term investment and collaboration across sectors, we can build an export industry with global relevance,” concludes Digre.