Marianne Engvoll, RD&I Manager at GCE NODE, spoke warmly of offshore wind, a main topic at an innovation conference in Mandal Tuesday.
“How can Norway maintain its position as an exporter of energy in a zero-emission society? And what kind of opportunities does this provide for the supplier industry?” asked Engvoll.
“Offshore wind represents great opportunities for Norway and the supplier industry in Agder. However, we need a strong home market, where small and medium-sized enterprises can practice and innovate in order to succeed globally. New statistics show that Norway is falling behind with regards to installed offshore wind capacity. This has to be addressed,” says Marianne Engvoll, RD&I Manager at GCE NODE.
The Agder region has several companies with experience from the offshore wind industry.
Both Aker Solutions and National Oilwell Varco offer solutions for floating wind turbines, MacGregor offers services and technology for deployment of both bottom-fixed and floating wind turbines, in addition to anchoring systems, and Origo Solutions has the necessary control systems for offshore wind farms.
“Add sensors from Scanmatic, fast personnel vessels from Umoe Mandal and harbor services from Port of Agder, and you will see that Agder is a region well positioned in the offshore wind industry,” says Engvoll.
(Story continues below image)
At the conference in Mandal, Specialist Marine Engineer Odd Olav Vatne at Aker Solutions, presented WindFloat, the Aker Solutions floating foundation for offshore wind turbines. The technology allows for wind turbine installation, intervention and maintenance services at quayside, eliminating the need for specialized and expensive offshore vessels. Following full-scale testing from 2011 to 2016, the WindFloat technology is now being applied to projects in Scotland and Portugal.
Two more GCE NODE companies took to the stage in Mandal. Tor Henning Ramfjord presented Global Ocean Technology, the company of which he until recently served as CEO and still remains a shareholder. And Knut Mjåland, CEO of Fenner Mandals and Board Member of GCE NODE, presented one of Norway’s oldest enterprises. Established in 1775, Fenner Mandals is a world-leading manufacturer of looms and lay-flat hoses.
