Opening of Hywind – the world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine

Today, the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Terje Riis-Johansen, took part in the opening of Hywind; the world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine. Enova supports the project with NOK 59 mill.

-This is an important step towards creating a new Norwegian energy industry at sea. The project illustrates how we may benefit from the knowledge we have gained from our petroleum industry, to develop innovative technology concerning renewable resources. Norway can play an important role in the utilization of renewable resources and more environmental friendly energy production in the years to come, says Mr. Terje Riis-Johansen.

The turbine is fastened to the seabed 10 kilometres southwest of Karmøy. The project is a pilot of the StatoilHydro-developed concept – Hywind. StatoilHydro will test the Hywind pilot over a two-year periode. The project opens up for the wind industry to capture wind energy within deep water environments.

- Offshore wind could develop into becoming a new Norwegian industryThe Government have proposed a new legislation on offshore renewable energy in June this year. In addition to this we have through Enova and the Research Council of Norway, increased the allocations to development of new and innovative technology, says the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Terje Riis-Johansen.

In the National Budget for 2009, the Government strengthened its emphasis on resource and development regarding renewable energy and carbon capture- and storage, by NOK 300 mill. One of the projects being established because of this was eight Centres of Evironment-friendly Energy Research (CEER). The CEER’s were allocated NOK 125 mill in 20091 in total. Two of these centres are focusing primarily on offshore wind. Also, the R&D programme RENERGI, supporting research on cleaner energy systems, was strengthened by NOK 100 mill. in the budget for 2009, to a total of NOK 256 mill.

Enova, the Governments most important tool concerning renewable energy, has during 2009 been given a record high budget appropriation of NOK 2,6 bill. to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.  Approximately NOK 1,2 bill. was appropriated as part of the Governments amendments aiming at mitigating the negative effects of the international financial crisis on the Norwegian economy. The energy result from these appropriations has been apr. 7,5 TWh from 2005-2009.