Norway’s METCentre is testing the future of floating offshore wind
Page date: published 18 October 2022; updated 30 September 2026; 4 min read (as rendered).
The article presents the Marine Energy Test Centre (METCentre), about 10 km off Karmøy, as a full-scale test site for floating wind in North Sea conditions. It traces the site’s history from Equinor’s 2009 Hywind Demo turbine (now Unitech Zephyros-One) to the 2017 Hywind Scotland wind farm. The TetraSpar Demonstrator, installed in 2021, is reported to have generated almost 70 million kWh; the page says it was scheduled for removal in summer 2026, with post-operation analysis intended to inform durability, maintenance and design. A 22 kV cable is to remain for later demonstrations.
The centre’s expanded concession, approved in late 2023 according to the article, permits up to seven floating units and a total 85 MW, including testing 15 MW-class turbines. The page lists Aikido Technologies’ AO60 deployment plan for 2027 and Odfjell Oceanwind’s SCALEWIND testing of a 15+ MW turbine on the Deepsea Star foundation from 2028; these are stated plans, not confirmed outcomes. Other site projects include Kongsberg Norcontrol maritime safety and traffic awareness systems, Spoor AI bird monitoring, and Ocean Charger vessel/equipment charging.
METCentre also administers the Norwegian Offshore Wind industry cluster, which the page says has over 350 members. The article describes Norway’s wider supply chain and offshore experience and cites the cluster’s ambition to build a leading floating-wind supply chain. Its EU capacity targets and project dates reflect the article’s context and should be checked for current status.
Related links: Energy; Offshore wind.