Fred. Olsen Renewables files for floating wind concession in Italy

Italian authorities are currently processing an application for a 40-year concession for a site in the southern Adriatic Sea, where Fred. Olsen Renewables wants to build a floating wind farm. The application documents show the project is planned to comprise wind turbines with an output that has not yet been announced on the market.

Fred. Olsen Renewables submitted the application to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility in August, requesting a 40-year concession for a site where the company would build and operate a 741 MW floating offshore wind farm.

The project is proposed to consist of 39 wind turbines, each with a nominal power of 19 MW, installed on floating foundations, and three floating offshore electrical substations.

The site is located approximately 25 kilometres from Brindisi, 21 kilometres from Punta Penne and 22 kilometres from the expected landing point in the Municipality of Brindisi.

The application is currently on public consultation at the Brindisi Port Authority, which is also processing several other floating wind applications, including a new, 840 MW BluWind Brindisi project, proposed by Wind Energy Brindisi.

The Port Authority has also received applications for a 1,425 MW floating wind farm from TG Energie Rinnovabili and a 504 MW project from Regolo Rinnovabili.

All these other projects are proposed to feature 15 MW wind turbines.

As for Fred. Olsen Renewables, the company has its own foothold in the floating wind technology market as its recently-launched sibling company Fred. Olsen 1848 introduced a new floating offshore wind turbine foundation design earlier this year.

Fred. Olsen Renewables was also among those that submitted Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the development of floating offshore wind projects to Italy’s Ministry of Ecological Transition last year.

The Ministry received 64 EoIs, 55 of which were received from companies and business associations, including Copenhagen Offshore Partners, DEME Offshore, Eni SpA, Falck Renewables, Fincantieri SpA, Fred. Olsen Renewables, Renexia, Ocean Winds, Principle Power, RWE Renewables, Saipem, Vestas, and others.

Italian authorities have received numerous concession requests for offshore wind farms over the course of this and last year, and most of the proposed projects are planned to use floating technology.

Over the recent several months, there is an increasing number of proposals that also comprise green hydrogen production.

Italy so far has one operational offshore wind farm, the Beleolico project off Taranto, in the Mediterranean Sea, which was commissioned in April this year.