At Nekkar, Eriksen was introduced to Skywalker, the unique climbing crane solution for erecting gigantic wind turbines. Skywalker is developed by Nekkar, building on competence and technology from the oil and gas industry.
Eriksen learnt that Skywalker could install wind turbines faster and at lower cost than a regular crane, and that the machine also occupies a smaller area of land while operating.
CEO of Nekkar, Ole Falk Hansen, explained that Nekkar has also developed a closed fish farming contraption. However, a contract for the delivery of such a contraption was recently and surprisingly put on hold following the government’s proposal for a new tax on fish farming.
Travelling to the other side of Kristiansand, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen met with the top management of National Oilwell Varco (NOV). Managing Director of NOV in Norway, Rune Johnsen, presented several offshore wind products and equipment for deep sea mining and fish farming. This exemplified an increasingly diverse portfolio from a company that is more known for its world-leading offshore drilling capabilities.
“Five years ago, few people here talked about offshore wind. Today, offshore wind is a significant market,” said Johnsen.
