Vestavind B

By November 2024, NVE had completed a strategic impact assessment covering the entire Vestavind B area, based on 20 technical reports and input from a reference group, and delivered the results to the Ministry of Energy. The assessment found that the 2,985 km² North Sea site, with average water depths around 350 m, is technically suitable for floating offshore wind, with an expected average utilisation of about 4,090 full‑load hours per year and technically and economically most favourable conditions in the south‑eastern part, from which power could be brought ashore using AC technology to the planned Øygarden transmission substation about 60 km away.

In November 2024, NVE delivered part 1 of the strategic impact assessment for Vestavind B to the Ministry of Energy. The assessment covered the entire Vestavind B area with a view to possible opening and tender in 2025, found significant conflicts with petroleum activities, shipping and aviation and medium environmental impacts on coral habitats, cod, seabirds and migrating birds, and recommended that any opening of areas in Vestavind B be postponed until the area has been compared with other Vestavind zones, with a potential opening process in the second half of 2025 only if later regional assessments show Vestavind B to be the best-suited area and coexistence issues are addressed.

NVE’s 2024 strategic impact assessment for Vestavind B mapped key environmental, technical and spatial constraints, concluding that environmental impacts are medium for coral habitats, cod, seabirds and migratory birds, while socio‑economic impacts could be serious for the petroleum sector, shipping and aviation because most of the area overlaps active petroleum licences and important traffic and helicopter access routes. The study highlighted that the south‑western corner is effectively excluded by the Troll B and Troll C installations and seabed infrastructure, that conflicts for seabirds and migratory birds are highest closer to land, and that grid connection north of Sognefjorden would face local power surpluses, network limitations and a greater likelihood of curtailment, whereas Øygarden offers a stronger but still capacity‑constrained connection point.

In its November 2024 advice based on the strategic impact assessment, NVE recommended that any opening of project areas in Vestavind B be postponed until the strategic impact assessments of the other 17 offshore wind areas are completed and compared in June 2025. NVE noted that while Vestavind B could contribute to meeting future power demand in the Bergen region, potentially better project areas may exist in Vestavind C or D, and advised that an opening process in the second half of 2025 should only begin if Vestavind B proves to be the best‑suited area regionally and if coexistence challenges with petroleum activities, shipping and aviation are addressed in advance.

On 7 October 2024, the Norwegian Government proposed a NOK 35 billion (about EUR 3 billion) state aid support scheme dedicated to the first commercial floating offshore wind tender within the Vestavind F and Vestavind B areas, as part of its plan to allocate project areas for 30 GW of offshore wind by 2040 and to conduct the next offshore wind tendering round in 2025.

Statnett provided its input to NVE’s strategic impact assessment for Vestavind B, assessing grid connection concepts and system capacity for power from the area. The study, assuming a 1,400 MW offshore wind project, concluded that the southern part of Vestavind B could be connected to the planned Øygarden 420 kV substation south of Sognefjorden, while an additional 500–700 MW might be connectable north of Sognefjorden via Ålfoten or a possible future Grov substation, subject to other production and demand developments and potential use of system protection measures and curtailment.

On 14 September 2023, Norway’s Ministry of Energy formally identified Vestavind B as a potential offshore wind area by instructing NVE to commence a strategic impact assessment of the site with a view to possible opening and tender in 2025, noting its good wind conditions and substantial existing petroleum-related infrastructure and knowledge base.

On 14 September 2023, Norway’s Ministry of Energy instructed the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) to commence a strategic impact assessment of the Vestavind B offshore wind area, alongside Sørvest F and Vestavind F, as potential areas for opening and tender in the 2025 licensing round.