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Construction kicks off for Hywind Tampen

By: Tom Russell 01/10/2020 Equinor

General Windfarms

Construction of the Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind farm was kicked off by Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Kværner apprentice Arne Linga at at Kværner Stord today (1 October). It a milestone moment for the world's first floating wind farm which will power offshore oil and gas platforms.

Prime Minister Solberg and Linga started the cutting robot on the project's first sheet of steel. Kværner’s assignment will include building 11 floating concrete hulls for the turbines on Hywind Tampen.

"Hywind Tampen is a new chapter in Norway’s narrative as an energy nation. With support from the Norwegian authorities, we're not only building Norway’s first offshore wind project; we're refining floating offshore wind technology along with the Norwegian supplier industry," said Equinor president and CEO Eldar Sætre.

"Eighty percent of the world's offshore wind resources are located in deep water areas and are available for floating offshore wind projects. If we can use projects like Hywind Tampen to make floating offshore wind competitive with other forms of energy, the technology will be able to deliver large-scale renewable power and contribute to a more sustainable global energy supply. A floating offshore wind market will also open up considerable industrial opportunities for Norwegian industry."

The development of the Hywind Tampen project is expected to involve around 250 full-time equivalents for Kværner employees. Kværner's project will also generate around 800 full-time equivalents in ripple effects for suppliers and the public sector, among others.

The 88 MW array is designed to reduce emissions from oil and gas production at the Snorre and Gullfaks fields. It is to consist of 11 wind turbines, with a total capacity of 88 MW, installed approximately 140 kilometres from shore, at water depths of 260 to 300 metres.

Operated from Equinor’s offices in Bergen, Hywind Tampen is scheduled for start-up at the end of 2022. It is expected to meet around 35% of the annual demand for electricity of the five platforms: Snorre A and B and Gullfaks A, B and C. In periods of strong winds, the percentage could be higher.

A study conducted by Multiconsult shows that, in total, the Hywind Tampen project could provide 1,550 to 3,000 full-time equivalents in ripple effects for the Norwegian private sector.

"By using larger turbines, concrete substructures, new technology and a new assembly method, we're well on our way toward delivering on the objective to reduce costs by more than 40% compared with Hywind Scotland. This is an important step to establish floating wind as a sustainable power supply alternative," said Hywind Tampen project director Olav-Bernt Haga.

"If more major floating offshore wind projects are realised in the future, it will be possible to reduce costs even further, and we could see a development in cost reductions equivalent to the one we've seen in fixed foundation offshore wind."

Equinor has been a pioneer in floating offshore wind technology and has been working on this technology for nearly 20 years. When the Hywind Tampen project is operational in 2022, the company will be operating one-third of the global floating offshore wind capacity.

Fabrication of the wind turbines has been awarded to Siemens Gamesa, and will take place in multiple locations in Europe before the turbines are transported to Wergeland Base in Gulen in Vestland county, where they will be assembled.

The electric cables will be supplied by JDR Cable System Ltd, which will be fabricating them in Hartlepool in the UK.
Subsea 7 AS will be responsible for installing the electric cables and connection to the Snorre and Gullfaks platforms.
Wood group will be responsible for modifications on the Snorre and Gullfaks platforms.

For more information on offshore wind farms worldwide, click here.

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Construction kicks off for Hywind Tampen

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