Equinor has sold the world’s first floating wind turbine, Hywind Demo, to Unitech, which has great ambitions of investing in offshore wind power.
Hywind Demo was located in the sea west of Karmøy in 2009, and the construction cost close to NOK 400 million, of which 59 million were contributions from Enova. The price of the wind turbine is confidential, but the entrepreneur and owner of Unitech, Bernt Hellesø, called it ‘’reasonable’’ wrote Teknisk Ukeblad newspaper.
The wind turbine construction weighs a total of 5,300 tonnes, and the turbine has a capacity of 2.3 megawatts, which can supply 400 households annually with electricity. With the purchase, Unitech will, among other things, have the opportunity to test new high-voltage cables.
‘’In addition, the cable that is now located between the Hywind mill and the landfall at Sandve in Karmøy, will have the capacity for increased power production. Thus, we will invite several involved to test other types of floating offshore wind turbines and other technology. We want to facilitate this area to the benefit of several interested parties who want to develop technology using renewable energy production at sea’’ said Hellesø.
He expects Hywind to produce electricity for at least ten years. Unitech also plans a base for building Hywind floating offshore wind turbines in Tømmervika at Stord. This is where the Hywind Demo will eventually be dismantled.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
