Norway has the potential to develop up to 338 GW of offshore wind in areas with a low level of conflict, according to a new analysis performed by Multiconsult and commissioned by the industry organisation Norwegian Offshore Wind, Equinor, Source Galileo, Hafslund and Deep Wind Offshore.

The report, issued on 14 April, maps 28 areas as suitable for floating wind and 18 areas for fixed-bottom offshore wind, estimating the total potential installed capacity to be 241 GW at 5 MW/km2 and 338 GW at 7 MW/km2.

Of this, floating wind could account for 156 GW and up to 219 GW, while fixed-bottom capacity is between 85 GW and 119 GW.

The areas the analysis mapped were selected based on their suitability to accommodate offshore wind farms and only few obvious conflicts. According to Multiconsult, it is especially the areas that are suitable for floating offshore wind that have a low level of conflict.

The developers who commissioned the report can use it as a tool to plan new projects and Source Galileo has already made use of it, with plans to build an offshore wind farm that could power the island of Melkøya, according to Norwegian Offshore Wind.

As 338 GW is ten times the Norwegian government’s 2040 target (30 GW), the analysis is primarily an important database for further discussions about offshore wind in Norway, the industry organisation says.

Source: Offshorewind