The Norwegian Offshore Wind Association (NVE) has advised the government to increase the capacity of the floating offshore wind area Utsira Nord by up to 750MW. This expansion could involve increasing the capacity within the existing project areas at Vestavind F or designating a new project area.
NVE spokesperson Inga Nordberg highlighted that the capacity expansion could add 500MW to 750MW, but emphasized that to minimize the impact on bird populations, only one of these options should be pursued.
In parallel, the Ministry of Energy tasked NVE with assessing the viability of Vestavind B, a proposed new area for offshore wind development located in the North Sea off the Vestland coast. While the area is technically suitable, NVE recommends against opening Vestavind B at this stage due to potential conflicts with the petroleum industry, shipping, and aviation.
“The environmental impact on biodiversity in Vestavind B is less pronounced compared to other areas, but the conflicts with existing industries are significant,” Nordberg said. NVE suggests evaluating Vestavind B alongside other potential offshore wind sites to identify options with fewer trade-offs.
NVE proposes postponing decisions regarding Vestavind B until the strategic environmental assessment of 17 alternative areas is completed in June 2025, after which a new evaluation can guide further action.
