Renewable

June 14 (Renewables Now) - UK-based oil and gas group BP Plc (LON:BP) has joined the tie-up of Norway’s Statkraft AS and Aker Offshore Wind to bid in an upcoming tender for offshore wind capacity in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

After BP's entry into the consortium, each of the three partners will hold a 33.3% share, Statkraft said on Monday.

The trio’s plan is to apply for a license to develop a bottom-fixed offshore wind farm at Sørlige Nordsjø II (SN2), one of two license areas in the North Sea selected for offshore wind projects by the Norwegian government. The specific site offers a “favourable location”, with power export access to local and nearby markets, Statkraft noted.

Additionally, the partners will seek to explore opportunities to supply clean power to offshore oil and gas facilities.

Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind joined forces for offshore wind in Norway by signing a cooperation pact in January. They agreed at the time for Aker to lead the construction of the project, while Statkraft was tasked with operating the wind park and marketing the green electricity produced by it.

Last week, the Norwegian government opened a consultation round to discuss the guidelines for the allocation process for the SN2 and Utsira Nord offshore wind zones. Bottom-fixed projects will be built in SN2 without state aid, while Utsira Nord will welcome floating wind deployment.