Norwegian government agency Enova has selected two floating wind projects developed by Fortius Offshore Wind and Fram Wind Solutions for NOK 3.94 billion in funding, supporting the planned installation of four 18.5 MW floating offshore wind turbines off Karmøy, Norway. The funding will be paid out only if the projects are implemented.
Announced on 30 October 2026, the awards cover two demonstration projects at the METCentre floating offshore wind test site in Rogaland. Each developer plans to install two turbines over the next five years, bringing the combined planned capacity of the four units to 74 MW.
Fortius Offshore Wind has been allocated NOK 2 billion, while Fram Wind Solutions has received a conditional allocation of NOK 1.94 billion.
According to Enova’s official announcement, the four turbines are expected to generate approximately 300 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, equivalent to the annual consumption of around 15,000 households.
The projects are intended to test and demonstrate technologies that could reduce the cost of electricity generation from floating offshore wind.
The planned demonstrations will cover floating foundations designed to support large wind turbines, mooring systems and methods used to construct and operate offshore wind installations.
Enova identified floating foundations, mooring arrangements and construction and operating methods as areas where further cost reductions are needed for floating offshore wind to become commercially viable.
The two developers secured their allocations through a competitive funding process. Applications were assessed against several criteria, including expected electricity generation per krone of public support and the potential for demonstrated technologies to be adopted more widely.
The evaluation also considered carbon footprint, impacts on biodiversity and the potential to achieve lower costs in future floating offshore wind developments.
Enova chief executive Evy Glørstad said reducing the cost of offshore wind technology could support faster deployment of renewable electricity and help Norwegian industry and the transport sector reduce emissions.
The METCentre off Karmøy has previously hosted other floating wind demonstrations, including the separate TetraSpar Demonstrator, which began operating at the site in 2021.
The TetraSpar decommissioning programme was announced earlier in 2026 following the completion of its demonstration objectives. The TetraSpar installation is a separate project from the two developments receiving the latest Enova funding.
In a report prepared for Norway’s Ministry of Energy earlier in 2026, Enova cited market participants’ estimates that a successful global expansion of floating offshore wind could reduce electricity generation costs to as little as NOK 1 per kilowatt-hour.
The cost estimate is conditional on successful wider deployment and does not represent a confirmed generation cost for the two METCentre projects.
Enova also noted continued investment in floating offshore wind development in Europe and Asia, including competitive tenders and development areas in France and the United Kingdom.
The latest allocations would support the installation and testing of four large floating turbines at METCentre if both developers proceed with their projects. The awards do not indicate that construction has begun or that the funding has already been disbursed.
