First power produced from 88-MW Hywind Tampen off Norway

Norwegian energy group Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) has started generating power from the first of 11 turbines at its 88-MW Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind farm in Norway.

Initial power from the 8.6-MW Siemens Gamesa machine was produced on November 13, Equinor said. Set to become the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm, Hywind Tampen will provide electricity to the Snorre and Gullfaks oil and gas fields in the Norwegian North Sea, meeting around 35% of their power requirements.

Seven of the 11 turbines that will be powering the wind farm are due to be switched on this year, while the last four are due to be erected in 2023. The machines are being installed on a floating concrete structure with a joint mooring system at water depths of between 260 metres (853 feet) and 300 metres, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) off the Norwegian coast in the North Sea.

Due to supply chain challenges related to the global steel market, Equinor pushed back the installation of the final four turbines to the spring of next year. They were initially planned to be mounted within a weather window in 2022.

The wind farm will be owned by the Gullfaks and Snorre partners, while Equinor will be its operator.

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