The Hywind Tampen offshore wind farm, labeled as the world’s largest by energy company Equinor, celebrated its official opening as Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway connected the cables. The ceremony was attended by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Siri Espedal Kindem (Equinor’s Vice President for Renewables in Norway), and Kjetil Hove (Equinor’s Executive Vice President for the Norwegian continental shelf). The photos of the event were taken by Ole Jorgen Bratland and shared courtesy of Equinor.
Aug. 23 (UPI) — The crown prince of Norway, Haakon Magnus, officially inaugurated the Hywind Tampen offshore wind farm by connecting the cables. This facility, located in the Norwegian waters of the North Sea, has been heralded as the largest floating wind farm in the world by Equinor, the energy company behind the project.
In August, the full capacity of the Hywind Tampen wind farm was realized after some of its turbines began spinning last year. To mark this achievement, Haakon Magnus joined the prime minister and other notable guests on August 23rd, symbolically connecting the cables that officially initiated operations at the wind farm.
The Hywind Tampen wind farm will play a crucial role in powering the Gullfaks and Snorre oil and gas fields in the North Sea. Equinor estimates that it will annually reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the North Sea producers by approximately 200,000 tons.
“Today is a significant milestone,” declared Siri Kindem, the head of Equinor’s renewables business in Norway. “Hywind Tampen demonstrates our ability to successfully plan, construct, and commission a large-scale, floating offshore wind farm in the demanding North Sea environment.”
Consisting of 11 turbines with a peak capacity of 88 megawatts, the floating wind farm is expected to meet approximately 35% of the energy demand for the five offshore platforms in the North Sea.
Norway’s offshore wind market is experiencing rapid growth, distinguishing its economy as unique. Although the nation remains a major oil and gas producer, it prioritizes renewable energy sources for powering its economy. This commitment to diversification aligns with the region’s determination to reduce dependence on Russian resources.
Last week, the Norwegian government awarded acreage in the North Sea to three energy companies for carbon dioxide storage, aiming to combat greenhouse gas emissions. The country’s energy regulator believes that the North Sea has the potential to store over 80 billion tons of CO2, equivalent to 1,000 years of Norwegian emissions.
Equinor devoted five years to realizing the concept and completing the Hywind Tampen wind farm project. Approximately 60% of the support contracts were awarded to Norwegian companies.
