Norway’s burgeoning offshore wind ambitions may have been curtailed by the continuing dominance of oil and gas and delays in licensing, but local experience to support innovation remains crucial for tapping into the North Sea’s potential for renewable energy.
Norway has long been a proponent of renewable and green energy, with hydropower playing a critical role in Norwegian energy production and industrial progress. Now, after decades as a major exporter of oil and gas to mainland Europe, it is looking to offshore wind in its drive to transition to cleaner energy sources.
Its neighbours Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (UK) have made their mark by building offshore wind farms that continue to grow in size and scope. And a consortium of European Union countries has committed to developing 150 GW of offshore wind in the North Sea, to include innovative grid solutions such as hybrid offshore wind farms and energy islands.
