Equinor, RWE Renewables and Hydro REIN have signed a collaboration agreement for offshore wind in Norway. The partners will jointly prepare and present an application to the Norwegian authorities to develop a large-scale offshore wind farm in the Sørlige Nordsjø II region in the Norwegian North Sea.

The Norwegian Ministry of Oil and Energy has opened two zones for offshore renewable energy (Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II) and is currently working on the authorization process for offshore wind energy projects in Norway. The area borders the Danish sector of the North Sea and is ideally located for the supply of electricity to Europe.

The partnership between Equinor, RWE and Hydro represents a strong combination of experience and expertise in the field of offshore wind development, knowledge of the energy market and the execution of large-scale industrial projects. Together, the three companies have the complementary capabilities as well as the experience to develop a large-scale offshore wind farm at Sørlige Nordsjø II.

“The North Sea has one of the best wind resources in the world. A large-scale offshore wind farm at Sørlige Nordsjø II could play a key role in the expansion of the North Sea as an offshore energy center and create new industrial opportunities for Norway as an energy nation. Between Equinor, RWE and Hydro, we have the industrial capabilities, from turbine to consumer, to create value and deliver renewable energy to Europe, â€said PÃ¥l Eitrheim, Executive Vice President of Equinor, New Energy Solutions.

Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath, CEO of RWE Renewables, says: “Offshore wind is essential to meet the growing demand for renewable energy, support local industries and create new jobs over time. We will bring our 20 years of experience and expertise in the offshore industry with our partners Equinor and Hydro to help achieve Norway’s offshore wind ambitions.

“Offshore wind will be an important element of the future energy mix to decarbonize Europe and achieve the 2050 objectives. For Hydro, this cooperation is part of our strategy to diversify and explore growth opportunities in new energies. Through Hydro REIN, we bring our industrial capabilities and knowledge of energy markets to the partnership, and we are happy to cooperate with RWE and Equinor. Together, we are forming a strong partnership to develop Sørlige Nordsjø II, â€says Arvid Moss, Executive Vice President of Hydro Energy.

The Sørlige Nordsjø II region has one of the best wind resources in the world with water depths between 53 and 70 meters. The area has the potential to provide a significant amount of renewable energy to countries that wish to transform their energy mix, in line with the stated ambitions of the EU and the UK of 300 GW and 100 GW respectively of offshore wind capacity here. 2050 to achieve their net zero ambitions.

Equinor and RWE have a strong track record in developing large offshore wind infrastructure projects and operating them efficiently while maintaining the highest safety standards. They jointly developed the 385 megawatt Arkona offshore wind farm in the German part of the Baltic Sea. It was successfully commissioned in 2019 and provides sustainable renewable electricity for the equivalent of 400,000 German homes.

With its global industrial operations, its top three position in renewable energy production in Norway and its activity in the large-scale electricity market in the Nordic countries and Brazil, Hydro’s participation in the partnership brings extensive experience in large-scale project execution, industrialization and energy market optimization. Hydro has been in recent years one of the largest renewable energy purchasing companies in the world, and has played a central role in developing business concepts that have contributed to the development of wind power in Norway and in Sweden. Hydro’s participation in the partnership will be organized through its newly created company for the development of renewable energies, Hydro REIN.

For more information

Equinor
Eskil Eriksen, media relations,
+47 958 82 534 (mobile)

RWE
Sarah Knauber, Corporate Group
Media relations
+49 (0) 162 25 444 89 (mobile)

Hydro
Øyvind Breivik, Communication & Public Affairs,
Hydrolic energy
+47 402 26686 (mobile)

Related pages and downloads

Equinor

Equinor aims to be a leading company in the energy transition. Major offshore wind turbines power more than one million European homes with renewable electricity from offshore wind farms in the UK and Germany. Equinor builds offshore wind clusters on the US east coast, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. In the North Sea, Equinor is currently developing the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank, and the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm, Hywind Tampen. The company is positioned for future offshore wind options in several geographies including Europe, the United States, the Americas and Asia.

RWE Renewables

RWE Renewables is one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies. With approximately 3,500 employees, the company has onshore and offshore wind farms, photovoltaic power plants and battery storage facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 9 gigawatts. RWE Renewables is driving the expansion of renewable energy in more than 20 countries on 5 continents. From 2020 to 2022, RWE Renewables aims to invest 5 billion euros net in renewable energies and to increase its renewable energy portfolio to 13 gigawatts of net capacity. Beyond that, the company plans to expand further into wind and solar power. The focus is on the Americas, the main markets in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Hydro KIDNEY

Hydro REIN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hydro, offers renewable energy solutions for more sustainable industries. The company was created as part of Hydro’s 2025 strategy, which aims to strengthen Hydro’s position in low-carbon aluminum and expand into new energies. Hydro REIN’s objective is to help industrial customers make the energy transition a success. We facilitate access to affordable renewable energy from our portfolio of hydroelectric, solar and wind projects in Brazil and the Nordic countries. We also provide industrial scale solutions to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and reduce costs. Hydro REIN’s business model is based on agility and the ability to leverage Hydro’s more than 100 years of renewable energy and industrial development. Our diverse team has the expertise and the will to develop projects, services and solutions that make a difference for our clients and the companies of which they are a part.

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Equinor ASA published this content on May 26, 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unchanged, on 26 May 2021 05:04:08 AM UTC.