Norway's Marine Energy Test Centre (METCentre) has received final approval for expanding its test activities, greenlighting the installation of five new floating wind test turbines at the facility.
The decision, announced on Thursday by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, upholds the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate's (NVE) granting of a license for the expansion, covering a total installed capacity of up to 82.7 MW.
Arvid Nesse, CEO of METCentre and Norwegian Offshore Wind, expressed enthusiasm for the expansion, stating, “This will provide valuable learning and knowledge to be utilized at Utsira Nord and other floating wind parks.” Currently, the METCentre hosts two test turbines: Zefyros (originally Hywind Demo), installed in 2009, and the TetraSpar Demonstrator, a collaboration between Stiesdal Offshore, Shell, RWE, and TEPCO Renewable Power, which was installed in 2021.
The METCentre aims to enhance its infrastructure by 2026 to accommodate a total of seven turbines for testing in challenging North Sea conditions, with most slots already reserved. Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Terje Aasland, commended the METCentre's role in testing technology for power production and environmental impact, emphasizing the significance of the expansion in facilitating the testing of additional technologies.
The approval underscores Norway's commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions and contributes to the growing body of knowledge in the field of floating wind turbines.
