Corio and Å Energi deepen offshore wind relationship
Corio Generation and leading Norwegian energy company Å Energi have signed a strategic partnership agreement on future co-operation on offshore wind energy projects in Norway and Northern Europe.
Steffen Syvertsen, CEO of Å Energi and Jonathan Cole, CEO of Corio Generation
Under the agreement, Corio and Å Energi agree to work together as preferred partners on an exclusive basis for upcoming Norwegian tenders and to explore opportunities for collaboration on further projects in key markets across the Nordics and Northern Europe. The agreement builds on the successful relationship developed on the Nordvegen Vind consortium, pursuing the Utsira Nord opportunity in Norway, and capitalises on the combination of Corio’s international offshore wind expertise with Å Energi’s strong market position within the Nordics.
Jonathan Cole, CEO of Corio Generation said:
“Thanks to our shared interest in Utsira Nord, and then as partners in Nordvegen Vind, we have enjoyed a highly positive relationship with Å Energi since 2021, and I am delighted now to broaden and deepen that relationship with this new agreement.
“With our deep expertise in offshore wind development, and Å Energi’s impressive history and experience in Norway and the Nordic region, we have a partnership that is exceptionally well-placed to play an important part in the energy transition in Norway and the surrounding regions. I am hugely excited about the opportunities that we will be able to explore together and the possibilities that will arise from combining the strengths of our two companies.”
Steffen Syvertsen, CEO of Å Energi, said:
"We have an excellent working relationship with Corio, and we complement each other well. That's why we want to develop this further with the aim of taking a role in the offshore wind projects that will be announced in the coming years, both in Norway and in the North Sea basin.
“We are committed to empowering a renewable future, and strong partnerships are crucial for Å Energi to deliver on our ambitious growth strategy. Hence, it is with enthusiasm that we announce a strengthened position in the offshore wind space together with Corio.”
The agreement was announced today as Jonathan Cole attended Å Energi’s annual conference as one of the keynote speakers in Kristiansand, Norway.
Corio and Å Energi are currently partners in the Nordvegen Vind consortium that is exploring the opportunity to develop a floating wind farm in the Utsira Nord area of the North Sea, off the west coast of Norway. The Norwegian government plans to auction approximately 1.5 GW of floating wind capacity at Utsira in 2024/25.
Working together, Corio and Å Energi are committed to supporting the Norwegian government's goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and promoting growth in the Norwegian offshore wind industry. They aim to be a driving force for innovation in the energy market and stimulate local and regional employment, increased activity in the supplier industry and increased export opportunities.
The two companies are already collaborating on many initiatives for progressing the offshore wind development in Norway. Two examples are the National Competency Centre for Offshore Wind, aiming to close knowledge gaps in the industry, and Norwegian Offshore Wind’s Accelerator programme, helping to develop expertise and promote innovation that will enable Norway to implement projects and exploit the opportunities in offshore wind.
The countries around the North Sea basin have set a goal to deliver, by 2050, offshore wind generation capacity equivalent to approximately 7.5 times the current electricity generation capacity in the Norwegian power system. Much of this new offshore wind capacity is expected to come from floating wind.
About Å Energi
Å Energi is Norway’s biggest energy utility, with operations throughout the value chain, from generation through to end users.
Our most important social mission is to increase the production of clean, affordable renewable energy, to ensure that the electricity is distributed efficiently around our network, and to develop new and better energy-related services in Norway and the Nordic region.
The cornerstone of the business is hydroelectric power, with around 11.3 TWh generated each year at 72 wholly-owned and part-owned power stations. The company has over 320,000 electricity customers in the private market in Norway, and supplies 20 TWh to the Nordic business market annually. We are Norway’s second biggest grid operator, with a 30,000-kilometre electricity network that supplies power to approximately 320,000 customers in Buskerud and Agder. In addition, Å Energi has projects in battery technology, hydropower, hydrogen, solar power, offshore wind, and digitalisation.
Å Energi has more than 1,500 employees in eight countries; Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and England. The company's vision is to provide power for a renewable future.