Birgitte Jourdan-Andersen
Partner
Oslo
Newsletter
Updates on Offshore Wind on the Norwegian Continental Shelf
Published:
On Wednesday 9 February 2022, the government held a press conference on their "grand-scale initiative on offshore wind". In short, the government announced that the first phase of Southern North Sea II will be 1500 MW with grid connection through cable to onshore Norway, and based on an auction process. For phase two, the remaining 1500 MW, the grid connection will be further reviewed.
In June 2020, two areas on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) were opened for offshore wind activities, Utsira North and Southern North Sea II (SN II). In addition, a separate Offshore Energy Regulations was introduced, which provides regelation for the concession process. Link to article from June 2020.
This was followed up by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) in June 2021 when they published a White paper on offshore wind licenses and proposed amendments to the Offshore Energy Act and the Offshore Energy Regulations, with a consultation process during the fall of 2021. Link to article from June 2020.
The press conference was a follow-up of this consultation process, and the government stated that it will propose to the Parliament certain amendments to the Offshore Energy Act and the Offshore Energy Regulations this spring. Very few details were presented, but the main elements were:
Read the press release here.
Read the consultation memo here.
