The coastline off south-western Norway may host one of the world’s first full-scale developments of floating offshore wind. Utsira Nord was opened for offshore wind development in 2020, and Equinor and Vårgrønn have been working on the project since 2021.
On 13 February 2026, Utsira Nord Havvind DA was awarded Project Area 3, the southernmost of the three areas offered. Utsira Nord Havvind is owned by Equinor (65%) and Vårgrønn (35%). As a result of the award, the company has been granted exclusive rights to carry out an impact assessment and apply for consent for a planned floating offshore wind farm of up to 500 MW in Project Area 3, including offshore grid infrastructure, landfall, and connection to the existing power grid.
Further process and competition for development
The Utsira Nord call follows a two-stage process. The first stage was the allocation of acreage, in which Equinor and Vårgrønn were awarded the southern area, while the central area was awarded to a competing consortium. The next stage is an auction for the allocation of investment support. The auction will be held once the consent application has been submitted, which is expected in 2028/2029. Both consortia must participate for the auction to be valid. The winner of the auction will then further mature the project towards a final investment decision, followed by construction. Final start-up of the first project at Utsira Nord is expected around 2035.
Timelines and milestones 2026
Utsira Nord Havvind DA submitted a notification of proposed development to the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) on 27 March 2026, which constitutes the first step in the consenting process. NVE will circulate the notification for public consultation during spring 2026, including public meetings at relevant locations. The consultation will form the basis for the final program for the impact assessment, which is expected in autumn 2026. The company will then have two years to carry out the assessments before a consent application can be submitted.
The impact assessment will cover the offshore wind farm itself, cable routes and offshore structures, as well as landfall and further grid connection.
Hywind Tampen. Photo: Stig Silden
About the project
Our project at Utsira Nord is a floating offshore wind project with a planned capacity of approximately 500 MW, providing annual production of around 2 TWh. This corresponds to the electricity consumption of approximately 130,000 Norwegian households. The area covers approximately 180 km² southwest of the island of Utsira, in Rogaland County, Norway. The distance to the mainland is approximately 30 km, and water depths in the area range between 250 and 280 metres.
Utsira Nord Havvind DA plans to use Equinor’s Hywind concept, similar to the solution applied at Hywind Tampen. The units will be moored in deep water and interconnected. Cables will run between the turbines and further offshore cables will connect the wind farm to shore, linking into Statnett’s existing transmission grid.
During the operational phase, the wind farm is expected to require an operations base and suitable port capacity close to the field. Maintenance will be carried out continuously using supply vessels, and the wind farm is planned to be operated from a suitable location in Norway.
About Utsira Nord Havvind DA
Utsira Nord Havvind DA is a project company owned by Equinor (65%) and Vårgrønn (35%). It is a partnership with shared liability (DA) and has no employees. Ownership and governance of the project company are regulated by a partnership agreement between Equinor and Vårgrønn.
Equinor and offshore wind – key facts
Equinor has more than 15 years of experience in the development and operation of offshore wind farms. The company currently has an operational offshore wind portfolio with a total installed capacity of 1.23 GW, in addition to a substantial offshore wind portfolio under construction, including Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the UK (3.6 GW), Empire Wind in the USA (810 MW), and Bałtyk 2 and 3 in Poland (1.44 GW). Equinor is a pioneer in floating offshore wind and operates around half of the world’s total installed floating offshore wind capacity, including the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm in operation, Hywind Tampen in Norway.
Vårgrønn and offshore wind – key facts
Vårgrønn is a Norwegian offshore wind company with a project portfolio covering key markets in Northern Europe, including Germany, England, Scotland, and Norway. The company owns 20 percent of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, as well as nearly one third of Baltic 2, which is in operation off the coast of Germany. Vårgrønn is a partner in the floating offshore wind farm Green Volt (560 MW), currently under development and on track to become the world’s first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm. In addition, Vårgrønn is a partner in the Cenos field in Scotland, a floating offshore wind project with a capacity of up to 1.4 GW.
