Fred. Olsen 1848 emerges, sets sights on floating offshore wind and floating solar

Norway’s Bounheur ASA has established a new company, Fred. Olsen 1848, dedicated to developing and commercialising new technologies related to renewable energy such as floating offshore wind and floating solar.

Fred. Olsen 1848 will focus on the development and commercialization of existing, but also new ideas and innovations from in-house engineers and technicians, Bounheur said.

The main technologies of Fred. Olsen 1848 are said to be aimed at solving some of the industry’s key challenges within the floating wind and floating solar.

In particular, Fred. Olsen 1848 has developed the Mobile Port Solution, which is an offshore installation interface that uses jack-up installation vessels in sheltered waters for the integration of the turbine to the floating foundation structure.

The company is also developing Brunel, a concept for floating wind turbine foundations with strong both technical and commercial capabilities. It is designed for the next generation of wind turbines, with a modular approach, suitable for serial and automized production in the existing global supply chain allowing for instant scale-up and low cost.

Fred. Olsen 1848 is also working on a solution for efficient maintenance of floating wind turbines, which equally represents a current challenge in developing low-cost floating wind energy, Bounheur said.

The new company is said to have an organization with strong engineering and maritime competencies and lean on in-depth experience from activities of Fred. Olsen-related companies such as Fred. Olsen Windcarrier and Fred. Olsen Renewables.

”We are at an environmental crossroad today. Our lives will be shaped by which way and how fast we choose to go. For us, bringing the best new technology to market is not just about business, it’s also about our responsibility for future generations,” said Sofie Olsen Jebsen, CEO, Fred. Olsen 1848.

”In Fred. Olsen 1848 we are determined to act now, and we aim to be the frontrunner in developing tomorrow’s technologies within renewables and thereby becoming the preferred partner for businesses and organisations looking for the right solution.”