Green ammonia can provide large emission cuts for floating offshore wind
VARD is participating in the Blåvinge project to unlock potential for green energy future.
28. June 2023
Blaavinge brings together the perfect partners to unlock the huge potential of offshore wind for Norway’s green energy future. The long-term partnership comprises two of Norway’s largest renewable energy companies, Fred. Olsen Seawind and Hafslund, and the world’s leading offshore wind developer, Ørsted, headquartered in Denmark.
The partners have taken the initiative for a pilot project under the Green Shipping Program. The goal is to realize zero-emission solutions for the installation and operation of floating offshore wind turbines. This may already be relevant for the Utsira Nord project.
The Green Shipping Program (GSP) is a partnership program between private and public actors whose goal is to contribute to Norway developing the world’s most efficient and environmentally friendly shipping. Blaavinge is the pilot owner for a new project in GSP together with DNV and a number of other partners. The pilot aims to explore whether installation vessels for floating offshore wind, and in particular anchor handling vessels, can use green ammonia as an energy carrier for maritime operations.
The Green Shipping Program (GSP) is a partnership program between private and public actors whose goal is to contribute to Norway developing the world’s most efficient and environmentally friendly shipping.
Green ammonia project
Blaavinge is the pilot owner for a new project in GSP together with DNV and a number of other partners. The pilot aims to explore whether installation vessels for floating offshore wind, and in particular anchor handling vessels, can use green ammonia as an energy carrier for maritime operations.
– Installation and maintenance of the offshore wind farms requires extensive use of offshore vessels and especially anchor handling vessels. 100 percent emission reduction can only be achieved through carbon-neutral fuels, such as green ammonia. If we are successful with the project, it means that the installation of offshore wind turbines can be done with significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than is possible today, says Erlend Gjelstad Jakobsen in Blaavinge.
Photo from the left: Harald Gundersen (Hafslund), Erlend Jakobsen (Blåvinge), Eirill Bachmann Mehammer (DNV) og Magnus Eide (DNV).
Emissions from offshore vessels currently account for the single largest emission item in Norwegian waters. This is due both to great activity on the Norwegian continental shelf, but also to the fact that there are energy-intensive operations (emissions per nautical mile).
Local value chains for ammonia
In the first instance, the participants in the Green Shipping Program will carry out a feasibility study which involves assessing technical and financial feasibility. In addition, framework conditions and possible barriers for local value chains for ammonia will be looked at.
– Norway has particularly favorable conditions for the production and distribution of green ammonia, as we have access to clean, electric power and we have leading expertise in the production of ammonia. In addition to realizing emission reductions for floating offshore wind in Norway, we see a potential for further use and application of the technology in the Norwegian and international offshore industry, says DNV’s Magnus Eide, who is project manager for GSP.
May be relevant for Utsira Nord
On 22 June, Blaavinge gathered the pilot participants for a start-up meeting in Oslo. Although the work is in an early phase, the participants have ambitions for the project to enable the use of green ammonia for anchor handling ships in the installation and operational phase of Blaavinge’s floating offshore wind project at Utsira Nord.
– Blaavinge brings together three of the Nordic region’s largest renewable energy companies to develop offshore wind in Norway. Collectively, we have extensive experience in reducing emissions in production processes and develop more sustainable industrial standards. In addition to exploring solutions such as sustainable steel, recycling and reuse of turbines, it is also absolutely essential to reduce emissions related to installation and maintenance. If we succeed with this pilot, it will be a major contribution to making Utsira Nord the world’s most sustainable floating offshore wind project, says Jakobsen in Blåvinge.
About
- Pilot owner: Blåvinge (Blaavinge: Run by av Ørsted, Hafslund & Fred. Olsen Seawind)
- Pilot Partners: Yara, Karmsund Havn, Azane, Wärtsilä, Norwegian Maritime Directorate, ABB, DNB, Corvus Energy, Vard, Amon Maritime,