Category Archives: Offshore

Former president Donald Trump repeatedly ranted about wind power during a fundraising dinner with oil and gas industry executives last week, claiming that the renewable-energy source is unreliable, unattractive and bad for the environment.

I hate wind, Trump told the executives over a meal of chopped steak at his Mar-a-Lago Club and resort in Florida, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation.

Trumps comments reveal how he is wooing potential donors with his long-standing hostility to wind farms and pledges to halt this form of renewable energy if he returns to office. His stance poses a potential threat to one of the linchpins of Americas clean-energy transition, according to more than a dozen Trump allies, energy experts and offshore wind industry officials.

Even if President Biden were to win reelection, experts say, opponents of offshore wind will remain emboldened by Trumps stance and well positioned to challenge a new generation of projects in federal waters.

And if Trump were to return to the White House?

If I were in the offshore wind industry, I would probably be pretty, pretty nervous, said a former Trump administration energy official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

The Trump campaign did not respond to specific questions for this story, and it has not elaborated on his energy policies, which he has often summarized as drill, baby, drill. In an emailed statement, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the former president would make America energy dominant again.

Energy analysts say they expect a second Trump administration would slow the pace of offshore wind lease sales and environmental reviews. These steps could undercut the industry at the very moment when it needs to accelerate to meet Bidens goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035, and to help New England reduce its deep dependence on imported gas and oil.

Project reviews and auction schedules could slow substantially, potentially to the point of a de facto pause, analysts with ClearView Energy Partners wrote in a recent note to clients. In short: the regulatory uncertainty from the upcoming election could keep project developers on the sidelines.

A Trump Interior Department would also prioritize offshore oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico over offshore wind auctions, said William Perry Pendley, who served as acting director of Interiors Bureau of Land Management under Trump.

The priority has to be oil and gas, Pendley said, adding, I dont think theres a reason to press forward on wind.

Trump told executives at the fundraising dinner he would open up the Gulf of Mexico to drilling, a person with knowledge of the meeting said, lift Bidens pause on new liquefied natural gas exports, speed up drilling permits, reverse regulations aimed at deploying electric vehicles, and do what he could to help the oil and gas industry. He listened to each executive for about four or five minutes.

Pointing out the window to the Atlantic Ocean at one point, one attendee said, the former president claimed that offshore wind turbines break down when they are exposed to saltwater though these projects are designed to resist saltwater corrosion.

Near the end of the meeting, Trump told executives that they should contribute to his campaign the leader of his main super PAC was in the room because he was trailing Biden financially. His policies would be much better for the oil and gas industry than those of Biden, and hed do much of what they wanted on Day 1, he said.

In addition to political uncertainty, offshore wind developers face significant economic challenges. Interest rates and supply chain bottlenecks have contributed to the demise of some projects, including two in New Jersey late last year.

Democrats are doing their best to lock in commercial-scale offshore wind projects before Trump has a chance to halt them. The Biden administration has already approved eight, including one that is up and running. Democratic governors in the Northeast have also reinforced their commitments to deploying more offshore wind energy, regardless of the balance of power in Washington.

If Biden were to win a second term, he would be in a position to accelerate offshore wind along the Gulf and West coasts, and add more capacity to the Atlantic. Once those steel turbines are anchored to the ocean floor, they would be hard to scuttle one reason the stakes now are so high.

Trumps crusade against wind power dates to 2006, when he bought an 1,800-acre estate in Scotland near a planned wind farm that he warned would be monstrous and really ugly.

The Trump Organization sought to build a golf course there, and it sued to block the wind project, saying the turbines would ruin the view for golfers. In December 2015, less than a year before the U.S. election, judges on Britains top court unanimously rejected that claim.

But the battle raged on. While in the White House, Trump frequently attacked the clean-energy source, suggesting without evidence that it causes cancer.

If you have a windmill anywhere near your house, congratulations, your house just went down 75 percent in value, Trump said in a 2020 speech. And they say the noise causes cancer. And of course its like a graveyard for birds.

There are no known instances of wind farms causing cancer. While turbines can kill birds, research suggests that house cats cause far more bird deaths in the United States each year, and that painting the turbine blades black can help reduce fatalities.

Yet taking a cue from Trumps anti-wind rhetoric, Interior delayed the approval of the first major U.S. offshore wind farm in 2019. Then-Interior Secretary David Bernhardt extended the environmental review of Vineyard Wind, a proposed wind farm near Marthas Vineyard, Mass.

The decision pushed back the timeline for the project, which had planned to start operating in 2021. It also cast a pall of uncertainty over the entire offshore wind sector, as other developers worried about the administration potentially interfering in their own projects.

Bernhardt, who now chairs the Center for American Freedom at the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank, did not respond to requests for comment. Bernhardt has been talking with energy executives and others in recent weeks about policies in a second Trump term, according to a person familiar with the outreach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

Today, the forces opposing offshore wind have multiplied and become more powerful. Fossil fuel interests have worked with right-wing think tanks and community groups to block projects up and down the East Coast, according to a recent report by Brown Universitys Climate and Development Lab.

Several of these groups have repeated Trumps false claims that wind turbines are killing whales and driving the marine mammals crazy. Many are now feeling emboldened by the former presidents rhetoric.

Its a shot in the arm to our movement, said Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast New Jersey, which describes itself as a grass-roots group made up of residents, homeowners, business owners, fishermen and visitors.

Trump rightly sees offshore wind as a boondoggle, said H. Sterling Burnett, director of the Arthur B. Robinson Center on Climate and Environmental Policy at the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank that has called climate change a hoax and has sued to stop an offshore wind project off Virginia.

Early on, Protect Our Coast received support from the Delaware-based Caesar Rodney Institute, a think tank that has been backed by fossil fuel interests such as American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the American Energy Alliance. The Heartland Institute received funding from oil giant ExxonMobil until 2008.

Regardless of the election, officials in the Biden administration and the Northeast are forging ahead with ambitious offshore wind goals. And they are making union labor a key Democratic constituency central to this push.

Interior this month approved the nations eighth large offshore wind project, south of Marthas Vineyard. Overall, the Biden administration has approved more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind projects enough to power nearly 4 million homes.

In New England, which relies on natural gas to fuel nearly 43 percent of its power generation, Vineyard Wind is now delivering power to roughly 30,000 homes, despite the delay under Trump. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D), who has set a goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2030, has praised the developers for agreeing to hire hundreds of union workers.

In a whole new industry like offshore wind, were seeing the beginnings of workers coming together and collectively organizing, said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the countrys largest federation of labor unions. These are all things that would be at risk if there were a second Trump administration. So we think it couldnt be more dire.

Yet Rebecca Tepper, secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said Trumps false claims about wind power wont stop the states progress.

The former presidents claims, like a lot of his statements, have been verified as false over and over again, Tepper said. Were busy working with developers and moving forward.

Excerpt from:

Trump says he hates wind power at fundraiser with oil executives - The Washington Post

Photo: Nicholas Doherty via Unsplash.

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Dozens of Humboldt County officials and local stakeholders are headed to the East Coast next week for a firsthand look at Vineyard Wind 1, the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States. The trip will give local leaders a chance to meet with the whole Vineyard Offshore team and learn more about some of the challenges associated with offshore wind development as well as some of the perks from communities that have already gone through the planning process.

The project, located about 35 miles off the coast of mainland Massachusetts, is well underway. Earlier this year, the developers, who are planning to build a floating offshore wind farm here on the North Coast,completed the first phase of Vineyard Wind 1 following the installation of five fixed-bottom turbines each capable of generating 13 megawatts of electricity. The turbines are operating at full capacity and generating enough energy to power 30,000 homes, according to a press release from Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healeys office.

Reached for additional information about the upcoming excursion, county spokesperson Catarina Gallardo said around 30 local offshore wind delegates are expected to go on the trip, including Supervisor Natalie Arroyo and Michelle Bushnell, County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes, Economic Development Director Scott Adair, members of the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District and city representatives from Arcata, Eureka and Fortuna, among others. Staff from the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development will also be in attendance. A complete list of the offshore wind delegation can be found here.

The purpose of this trip is to gain a real-life practical view and understanding of offshore wind development in Massachusetts so local leaders will have the opportunity to make more informed decisions in Humboldt County regarding offshore wind, Gallardo told the Outpost. It is crucial for the county to understand offshore wind processes in other communities to evaluate their applicability in our own community.

The delegation will also have an opportunity to hear actionable advice and strategies that could be adapted for local implementation and solicit feedback on what more experienced communities would do differently if given the chance, she added.

The county secured a $1.5 million Federal Workforce Information Opportunity Act grant through the California Employment Development Department to send staff on the trip. The grant funds will also cover an upcoming trip to Hull, England where delegates will attend the Offshore Wind Connections 2024 Annual Conference.[CORRECTION: Although the grant award covers international travel, the delegation will not travel to England this year, Gallardo told the Outpost in a follow-up statement.]

When the delegation returns, theyll work with county staff to produce a detailed report summarizing their trip that will be presented to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.

Read more from the original source:

Humboldt County Officials Headed to Massachusetts Next Week to Check Out Vineyard Offshore's Wind Farm - Lost Coast Outpost

Aberdeen-headquartered OEG Renewables has landed a multi-year deal with rsted covering its offshore wind projects in the north-eastern US.

As part of the deal, for an undisclosed amount, OEG will provide eight portable generator sets with technician support for rsteds 132MW South Fork Wind project.

The agreement gives OEG topside division exclusivity for all temporary power scopes rsted require during commissioning of their projects.

OEG said temporary generators provide critical power to the turbine during commissioning activities prior to a grid connection.

Wind projects also use temporary generators during operations and maintenance downtime.

In addition to the South Fork Wind project, which will provide power to New Yorks Long Island, rsted is also developing the 704MW Revolution Wind project.

Revolution Wind will provide power to the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut.

The state governments of New York and Connecticut are targeting a 100% renewables powered electricity grid by 2040.

Rhode Island is aiming to achieve the same target by 2030.

OEG said the rsted deal marks a strengthening of its presence in the US offshore wind market.

The groups chief executive officer John Heiton said the deal will support the expansion of offshore wind in the US and pave the way for future projects.

Now operating in over 60 countries, Aberdeens OEG Group is targeting rapid expansion into the growing global offshore renewables market.

Last year, the company raised $140 million (98.5 million) to pursue acquisitions in the offshore wind sector.

OEG later acquired Dutch subsea and topside services firm Bluestream Offshore, and the company posted a 35% increase in revenues across 2023.

The expansion push is part of OEG Renewables plans to establish itself as a UK Tier One contractor in the green energy space.

Read this article:

OEG Renewables lands US offshore wind contract with rsted - Energy Voice

Flotation Energy and Vrgrnn, a joint venture between Plenitude (Eni) and HitecVision, have obtained the offshore planning approval for the Green Volt floating wind farm offshore Scotland.

With onshore consent announced earlier this month, Green Volt has now received all its planning approvals and remains on track to be the first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm in Europe.

When completed, Green Volt will include up to 35 floating wind turbines, providing up to 560 MW of renewable energy capacity.

As part of Crown Estate Scotlands Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing round, the project will deliver renewable electricity to oil and gas platforms, replacing existing natural gas and diesel power generation. Green Volt will also provide electricity to the UK grid.

Green Volt, 50 per cent owned by Flotation Energy and 50 percent by Vrgrnn, is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 1 million tonnes per annum.

It is great news that we have consented the first project in the Crown Estate Scotlands Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round this is a significant milestone which will help secure Scotlands place at the forefront of floating wind technology, First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf said.

We have already underlined our commitment to making Scotland a global leader in offshore wind by committing to invest up to 500m over 5 years to catalyse private investment in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to the growth of the sector. Investor confidence in Scotlands renewable sector is growing as illustrated by significant investments in ScotWind leasing rounds and in the ports and supply chain infrastructure facilities that will enable the sector to develop. We have a strong record in delivering robust consents, ensuring the right projects are built in the right place at the right time. Ahead of the Allocation Round 6 (AR6) application window closing, the relevant consents and marine licences were issued for two floating offshore wind projects as well as one wave and three tidal energy projects, allowing all of them to go forward.

Back in 2023, Flotation Energy and Vrgrnnsecured a leasefor two floating offshore wind projects in Crown Estate Scotlands Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) round.

That same year, the developers signed exclusivity agreements for the Green Volt and Cenos floating offshore wind projects.

Gaining consent just over a year after our seabed exclusivity was awarded is a testament to the commitment, speed and determination of our Green Volt team, the Scottish Government and its key agencies, Nicol Stephen, CEO at Flotation Energy, said.

Green Volt is of international significance, placing Scotland at the leading edge of a new floating wind sector. This multi-billion pound development can now move forward confidently, creating hundreds of local jobs and proving that the UK and Scottish supply chain is ready to deliver commercial scale floating projects, at pace.

Green Volt is expected to deliver its first power in 2029.

With Green Volt being Europes first commercial-scale floating wind project, achieving offshore consent for the project marks an important moment for the whole offshore wind industry. At 560 MW, Green Volt serves as an essential stepping stone from current small-scale projects to gigawatt-size developments, supporting the supply chain in scaling up new technology, Olav Hetland, CEO at Vrgrnn, said.

Floating wind is set to be a huge global market in the decades to come. By being a frontrunner, Scotland is now positioned to be home to world-leading expertise and a whole industry of new jobs. Green Volt will deploy pioneering technology at an unprecedented scale, advancing what is possible in renewable energy.

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NOTE: The original article was amended, the first power from the project is expected in 2029 and not in 2026 as initially stated.

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Europe's First Commercial-Scale Floating Offshore Wind Farm Secures All Planning Approvals | Offshore Wind - Offshore WIND

Vattenfall and BASF have agreed the sale of 49 percent of Vattenfall's Nordlicht 1 and 2 wind farms to BASF. The two companies are thus deepening their partnership in the field of renewable energy.

Nordlicht is already Vattenfall's second major offshore wind project in which BASF is participating as a partner. In 2021, BASF acquired almost half of the shares in the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea.The Nordlicht wind project is being built in the German North Sea without state subsidies and, with a total installed capacity of 1.6 gigawatts, will be the largest offshore wind farm project in realization for Vattenfall to date.

Vattenfall is responsible to develop and construct the Nordlicht sites and intends to use its share of future electricity generation to supply customers in Germany with fossil-free electricity. BASF will use their share to supply its chemical production sites in Europe, especially in Ludwigshafen.

Nordlicht is already Vattenfall's second major offshore wind project in which BASF is participating as a partner. In 2021, BASF acquired almost half of the shares in the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea.

"BASF is keeping its word and remains on track with its transformation. With the investment in Nordlicht 1 and 2, we will now have the necessary amounts of renewable energy to implement the next steps of the transformation in Europe and especially at our largest site in Ludwigshafen. Together with our long-standing partner Vattenfall, we are creating the conditions for achieving our 2030 targets of 25% less emissions compared to 2018," says Martin Brudermller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF.

Offshore wind energy is an essential contributor to the energy transition in Europe and is expected to replace fossil fuels on a large scale. Partnerships play a crucial role in transforming European industries, while strengthening competitiveness. We are pleased to deepen our relationship with BASF for yet another important offshore wind project and that way accelerate the journey to fossil freedom together, says Anna Borg, President and CEO of Vattenfall.

The Nordlicht wind farm area is located 85 kilometres north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea and consists of two separate sites: Nordlicht 1 with a capacity of around 980 megawatts and Nordlicht 2 with around 630 megawatts. Once fully operational, electricity production is expected to total around 6 terawatt hours (TWh) per year, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 1.6 million German households. Subject to the final investment decision, which is expected in 2025, construction of Nordlicht 1 and 2 is expected to begin in 2026. The wind farms are expected to be fully operational in 2028.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.

About BASF

Chemistry for a sustainable future, that's what BASF stands for. We combine economic success with the protection of the environment and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers from almost all industries and in almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of 68.9 billion worldwide in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. For more information, see http://www.basf.com.

About Vattenfall

Vattenfall is a leading European energy company that has been driving the electrification of industry, powering homes and modernising people's lifestyles through innovation and collaboration for more than 100 years. Our goal is fossil freedom a future where we enable everyone to live, move and produce things fossil-free. Across our value chain, we aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. We employ around 21,000 people across the Group, have around 14 million customers and operate mainly in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK. Vattenfall is wholly owned by the Swedish state. Further information: Vattenfall We are working on fossil freedom

For further information, please contact:

Lutz Wiese, Vattenfall Media Relations, +49173626 38 82, lutz.wise@vattenfall.de

Thomas Nonnast, BASF Corporate Media Relations, +49173626 86 27, Thomas.nonnast@basf.com

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Vattenfall and BASF sign purchase agreement for 49 percent of Germany's Nordlicht offshore wind farms - Vattenfall

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House Republicans ask Gov. Moore to veto offshore wind financing bill - Ocean City Today

The German utility company RWE is working with Netherlands-based offshore mooring company FibreMax to develop synthetic mooring systems for floating wind production. The firms will work together on supply chain options and look for ways to reduce costs on ultra-deepwater and local floating offshore wind installations.

FibreMax believes that its products are the strongest cables in the world. According to the company, FibreMax mooring tendons offers much better strength, longer operational life and lower levels of maintenance compared to traditional steel moorings. The mooring systems integrity is key to financial and operational viability of floating offshore wind.

It is important to further develop and grow the supply chain for floating wind, in order to leverage its full potential. Working with forward-thinking and innovative companies like FibreMax helps unlock this potential, said Chris Willow, Head of Floating Wind Development, RWE Offshore Wind.

Three years ago, FibreMax delivered prototypes of what it believes to be the strongest aramid cables in the world. The continuous-wound lines were tested to withstand a load of 1,700 tonnes. They were developed with offshore wind mooring and lifting applications in mind; at 85 percent lighter than an equivalent steel cable, fiber has advantages for tethered floating structures.

FibreFlex has a vision for a unique floating production factory for its cables, which could be towed to each installation site in order to enable localization(local labor employment) without building a shoreside facility.

RWE wants to become a market leader in the emerging floating offshore wind market, which has substantially higher costs and new technical challenges when compared to bottom-fixed wind power. The company aims to have 1 GW of floating wind deployed or under construction by 2030 and at least 4 GW by 2035.

RWE has secured a commercial-scale floating offshore wind lease off the California coast, and is also preparing for floating wind auctions in France, Norway, Spain and the UK.

Excerpt from:

RWE Wants to Expand Supply of Fiber Cables for Floating Offshore Wind - The Maritime Executive

The Department of the Interiors Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)hasrevealed the notice of availability of the area identification (Area ID) for the three proposed Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil and gas lease sales during the 2024-2029 period.

The final programfor 2024-2029 offshore oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico comes with the lowest number of lease sales in U.S. history, encompassing amaximum of three potential oil and gas lease sales 262, 263, and 264 slated for 2025, 2027, and 2029, respectively.

These three proposed lease sales are said to be the minimum number that would enable the Interior Department to continue to expand its offshore wind leasing program through 2030 in compliance with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The plan entailszero oil and gas lease sales in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Alaskan waters.

Based on the 20242029 National Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program, the first proposed sale, Lease Sale 262, is tentatively scheduled for 2025. In October 2023, BOEMpublished a call for information and nominationson the GOM area identified in the 20242029 National OCS program.

This call solicited industry nominations for areas of leasing interest, seeking input from the public. Using the received input, BOEM created the Area ID for the proposed 262, 263, and 264 lease sales, which were published in the Federal Register on April 1, 2024.

The Area ID is not a decision to lease and is not a prejudgment by the Department of the Interior on how or whether to proceed with proposed lease sales 262, 263, and 264 under the National OCS program. The Area ID simply determines which areas identified in the call will receive further consideration and analyses, explained BOEM.

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the decision to lease needs to be preceded by several steps, including the completion of environmental analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act.

This process also entails consultation under environmental and other statutes; opportunities for federally recognized tribes, governors of affected states, local government leaders, and other interested parties to provide comment; and the issuance of proposed and final sale notices.

This comes after BOEM modified monetary penalties for oil and gas companies, implementing the 2024 inflation adjustments for the maximum daily civil monetary penalties in its regulations.

The U.S. is determined to curb the oil and gas industrys emission footprint, including methane. With this in mind, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recentlyproposed a new rulein line with the Biden-Harris administrations IRA.

Originally posted here:

US unveils next steps in its 20242029 Gulf of Mexico oil & gas leasing program - Offshore Energy

Following last months vote in the Senate of Romania, 229 out of 330 members of the Chamber of Deputies were in favor of the offshore wind energy law, passing it to President Klaus Iohannis to sign. Bolstered by European funds, fiscal incentives and legal reforms, the country has lately turned into a solar power investment mecca.

After years of delays, the course is now set for the installation of the first turbines on the Black Sea. As for the onshore wind sector, it is just gaining traction again. Namely, the renewable electricity sector crashed a decade ago as the government couldnt withstand the burden of subsidy payments.

On the other hand, the European wind industry is facing a subsidy race against the United States and China, possibly resulting in trade barriers. There were two lawmakers in the lower house of the Parliament of Romania against the bill and two abstentions. The government adopted it in December.

Authorities are confident the offshore wind law would contribute to efforts toward energy independence and the systems resilience. Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja reiterated his dedication to securing the safety of supply and affordable and green energy for all Romanian citizens.

With the timeline set by the bill, we will be able to have the first megawatt of offshore wind energy produced in the national energy system by the year 2032. In addition, offshore wind energy production will allow us to strengthen the Romanian industry through domestic production of green hydrogen and value-added products based on green ammonia. The World Banks data show Romania has an offshore wind potential of 76 GW installed capacity, providing a favorable environment for the development of this type of renewable energy, Burduja stated.

The new legislation obligates the Ministry of Energy to initiate a study within three months to be able to detail the procedures, zones and potential. It highlighted the restrictions from maritime spatial planning rules as well as biodiversity preservation and environmental protection requirements.

The government is scheduled to approve the report by the end of March of next year, followed by necessary bylaws and royalties within the next three months. After that, the Ministry of Energy is envisaged to initiate a competitive procedure for awarding concession contracts.

Neighboring Bulgaria proposed its own first law late last year to facilitate the construction of wind farms on the Black Sea. However, it prompted opposition from locals and environmentalists, which contributed to the fall of the cabinet. It was replaced yesterday by a caretaker government.

Turkey is setting the stage for projects in the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean, but possibly even on lakes. At the same time, Greece has made the most progress in planning in the region covered by Balkan Green Energy News. The first investments are already under development. It should be noted that a string of giant projects are underway for maritime areas around Italy.

Additionally, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria are cooperating in grid development to enable the integration of renewables including offshore wind power. There is a proposal for an important interconnection under the Black Sea between Romania and Georgia.

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Romania adopts offshore wind energy law to get first megawatts by 2032 - Balkan Green Energy News

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) will consolidate its existing direct and indirect offshore wind holdings into Reventus Power, its UK-based portfolio company, which will become its dedicated global offshore wind platform.

Subject to customary approvals, the move will see Reventus Power growing its teams in the UK, Germany, Poland and Portugal to form a team of approximately 50 offshore wind specialists, according to CPP Investments, whose current exposure to offshore wind is more than CAD 1 billion (approximately EUR 678 million; USD 737 million).

Reventus Power was established in 2021 as an offshore wind centre of excellence and has provided dedicated expertise to CPP Investments global offshore wind projects, including in its entry into the US offshore wind market, CPP Investments says.

Reventus Power is an important pillar of CPP Investments global energy strategy, and its growth will help us expand our portfolio of green and transition assets. CPP Investments will benefit from the enhanced capabilities of Reventus Power to support our ambition to grow our offshore wind portfolio, where we see considerable potential, said Bill Rogers, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Energies, CPP Investments.

CPP Investments holds stakes in several offshore wind projects through consortia and joint ventures, including four offshore wind farms in France: fixed-bottom Saint-Nazaire, Courseulles-sur-Mer, and Fcamp, and the Provence Grand Large floating wind project.

In 2022, Maple Power, a 50:50 joint venture between Enbridge and CPP Investments,teamed up with Mainstream Renewable Power to jointly explore the possibility of bidding in the Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Tender in the UK.

Last year, in a consortium with Mainstream Renewable Power, AGL, and Direct Infrastructure, Reventus Power submitted a feasibility licence application for a 2.5 GW offshore wind development off the coast of Victoria, Australia.

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Canadian Pension Fund to Consolidate Its Offshore Wind Holdings into UK-Based Reventus Power | Offshore Wind - Offshore WIND