bp, a British multinational oil and gas company, has joined Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind in a consortium bidding to develop offshore wind energy in Norway.
The partnership – in which bp, Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind will each hold a 33.3% share – will pursue a bid to develop offshore wind power in the Sørlige Nordsjø II (SN2) license area.
SN2’s favorable location provides power export access to local and adjacent markets. The consortium also intends to explore opportunities to provide clean power to electrify offshore oil and gas facilities. The partnership would work with local suppliers, building industrial competencies for Norway’s offshore wind market, and contribute toward value creation in the Nordic and European energy market.
“Our partnership has the potential to redefine Norway’s position as an energy nation and the consortium’s joint capabilities are building blocks to lead the energy transition,” says Kristian Røkke, chairman of Aker Offshore Wind and CEO of Aker Horizons. “Together with Statkraft and bp we will work to develop the Norwegian offshore wind industry, reduce emissions and create new jobs.”
The consortium brings together the individual companies’ technical skills and experience in offshore energy projects, covering the full value chain from development to the delivery of offshore renewable energy to market. bp has interests in the offshore wind sector in both the U.S. and U.K. and a longstanding onshore wind business in the U.S. It brings North Sea development and operating experience, international energy trading capabilities and a disciplined financial framework to the partnership. As Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy, Statkraft says its expertise in energy management and its experience and competence in wind farm development and operations provide a foundation for success in developing SN2.
Aker brings to the project its learnings and know-how from five decades of designing and executing offshore projects in the North Sea as a supplier, developer and operator. Aker Horizons will work closely with the consortium on topics including strategy and financing, and the partnership will also benefit from the broad capabilities of other Aker companies, including Cognite and Aker Solutions.
