Renewable

January 20 (Renewables Now) - Aker Offshore Wind AS remains committed to developing offshore wind in the UK and expects progress in several other markets around the world in 2022 after failing to secure any project licences in the recent ScotWind leasing round.

The Scottish tender resulted in 17 winners representing 25 GW of capacity. Aker Offshore Wind had previously teamed up with the Ocean Winds joint venture of EDP Renovaveis SA and Engie SA to file proposals for about 6 GW of floaters. Ocean Winds secured exclusive rights to develop 1 GW separately, but Aker was not successful.

The Norwegian company has not given up on the UK market and is considering opportunities for floating wind in the Celtic Sea and the INTOG leasing process to help decarbonise Scotland's oil and gas sector, it said in a statement.

In Asia, Aker’s pairing with Ocean Winds hopes to take the final investment decision (FID) in 2024-2025 in relation to the first of three areas off the coast of Ulsan, South Korea, where up to 1.2 GW can be deployed. The duo has exclusive rights for these areas.

Also, Aker and Mainstream Renewable Power expect to close in the near term their joint acquisition of an initial 50% interest in an 800-MW floating wind project in Japan.

The company also has plans for Scandinavia, with several partnerships in Norway and Sweden, and is getting ready for a lease sale auction on the US West Coast in September 2022.

Aker Offshore Wind will rely on its long-term owner Aker Horizons ASA for financial support and does not plan to undertake a capital hike for the purpose of maintaining its operations and pursuing its development programme. It continues to be the largest shareholder in floating technology developer Principle Power.

"Despite the disappointment, we are confident that our capabilities, organization and partnerships will contribute to accelerating the deployment of commercial scale floating wind around the world. We will encourage cooperation among key players in the industry to ensure the prospect of there being GWs of floating windfarms in operation prior to 2030 becomes a reality," said Philippe Kavafyan, CEO of Aker Offshore Wind.

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