Vestland positioned as a HUB for offshore wind innovation

According to the report, commissioned by the municipalities Askøy and Øygarden, and GCO Ocean Technology, the offshore wind sector could generate thousands of jobs, particularly in areas such as engineering, operations, and maintenance.  

You can read the complete VindVest 2024 report in Norwegian here.

Sustainable industry growth

The Norwegian government has committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and offshore wind is appointed as an important tool to reach this goal.

The governmental agency The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) has identified areas that make it possible to allocate areas corresponding to 30 GW for offshore wind by 2030, several of which are located in Vestland and they are named «Vestavind».  

The supply chain for offshore wind is one of six industries where the total export potential is expected to exceed EUR 32 billion per year in 2030. New power production can itself provide a basis for new green businesses and create industrial opportunities for Vestland.

Mature locations

The decades of experience from oil and gas have cultivated a skilled workforce and advanced technologies, easily transferable to offshore wind.

This industrial history has also made Vestland able to develop a strong infrastructure for business activities related to marine and maritime operations. The potential to utilize established infrastructure for offshore wind activities is greater in some areas, for example, due to space, location, depth conditions, and axle load capacity, as well as the opportunities arising from established players or the combination of several established players.

Five industrial areas stand out locations that can take on main roles: Fjord Base/Westcon Yards in Florø, Gulen Industrial Port, Hanøytangen at Askøy, CCB Ågotnes and and Westcon Yards at Stord. Due to their proximity to future concession areas (especially Vestavind), logistics hubs, and good experience from the oil and gas industry, they are suitable for construction and assembly, base functions, and port services.

Check out the sits in our listing of the largest commercial facilities in our region.

Coast Center Base at Ågotnes is the region’s largest industrial cluster and holds unique competence, especially within subsea industry and rig maintenance. In a few years, Ågotnes will be the new location for the Port of Bergen.

Ripple effects

A study conducted by Menon Economics on behalf of Norwegian Offshore Wind, Export Finance Norway, Invest in Agder, Invest in Rogaland and Invest in Bergen has analyzed the potential economic ripple effect from the development of offshore wind.

The study suggests a significant opportunity for Norwegian installation and assembly ports, which collectively aim to achieve an installation and assembly capacity of 5 GW annually by 2030. For offshore wind parks being developed in the North Sea, there will likely be a demand for an installation and assembly capacity of up to 12 GW by 2030, nearly four times the existing capacity of 3.2 GW.

You can download the report here

Explore the opportunities

The opportunities in VindVest 2024 shows several investment choices; from large-scale turbine installation projects to innovative energy storage solutions, the offshore wind sector in Vestland is primed for growth. Greater Bergen, in particular, is identified as a key hub for collaboration between public and private stakeholders.  

Invest in Bergen are dedicated to supporting companies looking to capitalize on the opportunities identified in VindVest 2024.  Don’t hesitate to contact any of our advisors to explore opportunities in the region.