May 31st, 2024
BlueFloat Energy at Floating Wind Days: showcasing our Italian floating wind projects and our approach to delivering this game-changing technology to address Italy’s decarbonization and energy security challenges. Laura Rolo, Business Development Sr Manager at BlueFloat Energy, participated this week at the Floating Wind Days in Norway. Laura showcased our development activities in Italy during her intervention at the “Best practices in international markets” panel and contributed to the discussion on “Groundbreaking Technology: Next generation offshore power transmission systems” alongside experts from Aker Solutions, Siemens Energy, Hitachi Energy, and Aibel.
Laura explained BlueFloat Energy’s development approach in Italy, starting with our vision of forging strategic partnerships, in this case with Renantis. “It is at the core of our development philosophy to initiate a partnership with a local player to build an early relationship with the local stakeholders and supply chain,” she noted. Since 2021, we have been developing six high-potential offshore wind projects: Kailia, Odra, Minervia, Nora I & II, and Tibula. Kailia Energia and Odra Energia are already under Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) review, with geophysical and light geotechnical surveys completed and FLiDAR deployed whilst the other projects are in various stages of development.
Highlighting the attractiveness of offshore wind for Italy, Laura Rolo pointed out, “Italy’s high energy demand, reliance on fossil fuels, and ambitious renewable energy targets make offshore wind a natural choice for the country’s policy makers since it can deliver clean energy at the scale required within the relevant timeframe while unlocking a significant industrial opportunity and generating benefits at the national, regional and local levels”. The National Plan for Energy and Climate sets an offshore wind target of 2.1GW for 2030, although discussions are currently ongoing about a further increase. Laura also discussed the upcoming regulatory framework for a CfD regime that would provide a route to market for offshore wind (so-called FER2), emphasizing the need for prequalification through site derisking and environmental approvals.
BlueFloat Energy is committed to advancing offshore wind energy in Italy and beyond, leveraging our expertise, strong presence in the Mediterranean region, and collaboration with local stakeholders to overcome challenges and unlock the full potential of this renewable energy
