New Vice President of Strategy and Operations at Energy Valley

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Bjørn Ottar Elseth will be joining Energy Valley as Vice President of Strategy and Operations from October 15th. Photo: Kjeller Innovasjon

Bjørn Ottar Elseth will be the new Vice President of Strategy and Operations at Energy Valley.

“We look forward to having Bjørn Ottar on board as a highly competent and strong resource at Energy Valley,” says Managing Director of Energy Valley, Preben Strøm.

Elseth will be joining Energy Valley October 15th and will be hands on in the day-to-day operations and in project management at the cluster.

“With his background in technology and experience as head of the H2Cluster the last two years, he will contribute to develop and strengthen our offer to our members,” says Strøm.

Elseth comes from the position as Cluster Director of H2Cluster, the Norwegian Hydrogen Cluster at Kjeller Innovation.

“I really look forward in joining Energy Valley, which I have already had the pleasure of knowing throughout the years at events and meetings,” says Elseth.

Elseth has a master’s degree in Systems Engineering from Delft University of Technology and has a long track record of working with advanced industry sector like the space sector from the European Space Agency and the Norwegian Space Agency and from Telenor as Operations Manager and Risk and Crisis Management.

Managing Director of Energy Valley, Preben Strøm, is happy to welcome Bjørn Ottar to the team.

“The position as Vice President Strategy & Operations triggers me and together with the Energy Valley members and ecosystem and my new colleagues in Energy Valley I look forward to map and explore the huge possibilities in the Energy Transition towards 2030 and beyond and use Energy Valley in the best possible manner for the benefit of the members,” continues Elseth.

Elseth is an experienced networker and has initiated a space & energy network that worked with the oil and gas industry, among others with events in Houston.

Deep Wind Offshore brings in new investor for offshore wind

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From left: CEO of Deep Wind Offshore, Knut Vassbotn and CCO of Deep Wind Offshore, Hans Petter Øvrevik. Photo: Deep Wind Offshore.

Energy Valley member Deep Wind Offshore announces that Octopus Energy will join the ownership side of the company, together with the existing industrial owners Knutsen OAS, Haugaland Kraft and Sunnhordland Kraftlag.

“The potential for offshore wind is absolutely massive and in many ways we’re only at the start of this burgeoning industry. Working with Deep Wind Offshore is hugely exciting, providing access to new offshore wind markets for us where they have deep expertise. Ultimately, the more offshore wind farms built across the globe, the quicker we can drive down bills and create a more secure energy system for everyone,” says CEO of Octopus Energy Generation, Zoisa North-Bond.

Deep Wind Offshore is an international offshore wind developer with a pipeline of projects in Norway, Sweden and South Korea, countries that all have enormous wind resources and strong government support for offshore wind. The company aims to build 10 GW of new offshore wind by 2032, with 2 GW under exclusive development in South Korea.

“Welcoming Octopus as an investor will enable Deep Wind Offshore to accelerate international growth and strengthen its position in Norway. Knutsen OAS, Haugaland Kraft and SKL have formed the ideal basis for the company and will continue to be key owners,” says CEO of Deep Wind Offshore, Knut Vassbotn.

Octopus’ investment will accelerate Deep Wind Offshore’s growth and further develop the company’s pipeline of fixed and floating offshore wind farms, also towards new markets.

“The support from Octopus combined with our expertise means that we now have the strength to grow significantly, also internationally. The investments from Octopus and our connection with Norwegian municipalities ensure that we will not only provide plenty of renewable energy, but also a basis for future growth on both sides of the North Sea,” continues Vassbotn.

Deep Wind Offshore was founded in Norway in January 2021 and has since grown rapidly in a number of countries and has partnerships with large energy companies such as EDF Renewables and bp.

The vast majority of Octopus’s managed funds comes from large UK pension funds and institutional investors. This investment by Octopus will be funded purely by UK pension capital.

The agreement comes in the wake of Octopus’ announcement to release 20 billion dollars in investment for offshore wind globally. It marks Octopus’ entry into Norway and South Korea’s renewable markets, and increases the project portfolio of Octopus Energy Generation to 15 countries.

Forecasts estimate that the offshore wind sector could be worth $1 trillion by 2030 and span at least 24 markets, highlighting the scale of the industry’s growth potential.

Welcome to the new Energy Valley website!

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For the past months we have worked closely with Energy Valley member Stem Agency on new webpages and an update and expansion of the Energy Valley brand identity. The new identity has been gradually adapted over the past few months, and now we can finally show you the real gem in process, our new webpage.

We hope that the new website will bring value to both our members, and anyone interested in what we do, bringing better user-friendliness and clarity. The expansion of the brand also brings elements to it that will make Energy Valley more recognizable and lead to a more consistent identity, visually connecting the website, our social media channels, presentations, and everything else we do.

Stem Agency is a digital design and communication agency that has helped us at Energy Valley with updated branding and a new and user-friendly website. In connection with the launch of our new website, Stem Agency offers all members a 1-hour free workshop where they can assess your branding, positioning and web, and assist with tasks regarding overall communication, graphic profile, and website.

Book a meeting here: English | Norwegian

Valley Voice: Creating the Energy Sources of Tomorrow with Deep Wind Offshore

Get to know one of our new members, Deep Wind Offshore, in this edition of Valley Voice. Hear CEO of Deep Wind Offshore, Knut Vassboten, talk about what the company does, what steps the company is taking to reach net-zero and more.

Watch it below or on Vimeo.

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Energy Valley member Nebb becomes part of Init

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With Nebb being acquired by Init, it will strengthen the groups presence in Norway. From left: COO of Nebb, Espen Trengereid; CEO of Nebb, Alexander Risøy; CEO of Init Group, Knut Akselvoll; CTO of Nebb, Espen Davidsen and CBDO of Init Group, Frederik Klinge. Photo: Ingar Sørensen.

Energy Valley member, Nebb, has been acquired by the newly established software group, Init, giving the group a strong presence in Norway.

“Nebb has strong organisations in both Norway and North Macedonia constituting a great foundation for further development and growth, in which we have found Init to be the best partner for us,” says CEO of Nebb, Alexander Risøy.

Nebb will maintain its current activities, including work and project approaches, and the management will continue in their current roles.

“We look forward to becoming an even stronger partner in and outside Norway and collaborate with all our new colleagues throughout Europe,” continues Risøy.

With the acquisition of Norwegian Nebb, Init strengthens its position on the Scandinavian market.

“Nebb will especially contribute to our joint group with competences in software development, process knowledge, IT/OT architecture and specialized solutions for marine and subsea control systems,” says CEO of Init, Knut Akselvoll.

The group says they have ambitions of becoming the Nordic region’s leading supplier of industrial IT and automation solutions for the industry.

“With Nebb as part of the Init group, we now have a strong presence in Norway, as well as Denmark and Sweden,” Akselvoll continues.

Init was established in January 2022 with the merger of Danish Picca and PD- Automation, and includes Swedish-Norwegian Acobia, Swedish Martensson Consulting and the Danish companies Logimatic, AN Group, Inuatek, 3Tech Automation, ProjectBinder, MBB Consult, Daniit. and now Norwegian Nebb.

Since 1996, Nebb has provided solutions for automation and industrial IT within process industry, pharma, marine, energy, and subsea. Nebb aims to be at the very forefront of technology and a center of excellence in their fields of competences. The company is headquartered in Asker, Norway and has an office in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Caption picture: With Nebb being acquired by Init, it will strengthen the groups presence in Norway. From left: COO of Nebb, Espen Trengereid; CEO of Nebb, Alexander Risøy; CEO of Init Group, Knut Akselvoll; CTO of Nebb, Espen Davidsen and CBDO of Init Group, Frederik Klinge.

Meet our members and partners at Arendalsuka

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Unsure how to spend your time at Arendalsuka? We have put together a list of events that our members and collaborators are responsible for or take part in.

See the whole program here.

Energy Valley at Arendalsuka 

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Photo: Mona Hauglid.

Energy Valley invites you to a panel discussion about the future of renewable energy in Norway at Arendalsuka. 

The event, hosted in collaboration with SINTEF, SEB, and Capgemini, will be held at one of the largest venues at Arendalsuka, Arendal Kino, with a capacity of 260. 

What does the future have to bring for renewable energy? Norway has a unique position to take the lead in the global transition to renewables. But are we about to fall behind? Will we remain an oil producer, or will we be able to make the transition? And what is needed to accelerate this transition to both reach net-zero goals and make new jobs? 

Read more here. 

These, and other questions will be debated the panel discussion, named “Bli med på en spennende reise inn i fremtidens fornybare energilandskap.” Leaders from the industry, finance, and academia will provide their views on the matter. 

The event, taking place at Bærekraftscenen in Arendal, will last from 20:30 to 21:30, after which light refreshments will be served – providing a venue for socialization. 

At the event, you will meet the EVP at Capgemini Invent, Karl Thomas Reinertsen, Country Manager Norway at SEB, John Turesson, Head of Strategic Export Priorities at Innovation Norway, Eli Wærum Rognerud, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at ZEG Power, Kathrine Ryengen, CEO at Siemens AS and Managing Director Siemens Smart Infrastructure Nordic & Baltic, Nils Klippenberg, and lastly, Executive Vice President Sustainability at SINTEF, Nils Røkke.

Valley Voice: Cracking the Challenges of Tomorrow with the Knowledge and Skill Sets of TGS

Get to know one of our new members, TGS, in this edition of Valley Voice.  Hear EVP for Digital Energy Solutions, Jan Schoolmeesters, talk about what the company does, what steps the company is taking to reach net zero, and more.

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Deep Wind Offshore and EDF Renewables Annouce Preferred Floater Solution for Utsira Nord

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From left: Executive Vice-President International operations Frédéric Belloy, EDF Renewables, CEO Wolfgang Wandl, Moreld Ocean Wind and CEO Knut Vassbotn, Deep Wind Offshore. Photo: Deep Wind Offshore.

Energy Valley member, Deep Wind Offshore and EDF Renewables are cooperating with Norwegian supplier Moreld Ocean Wind for the floating solution at the offshore wind development on Utsira Nord.

“Moreld Ocean Wind’s solution is the most cost-effective and sustainable of those we considered. It also represents the Norwegian way of doing things, with Moreld providing technology, engineering, procurement, and construction. This cooperation aligns with our goal of maximizing local content, which is crucial not only to achieve social acceptance in the first offshore wind projects but also to be able to upscale the industry to deliver further projects to reach the 30 GW target. Both parties in the consortium are fully aligned on this matter,” says Knut Vassbotn, CEO of Deep Wind Offshore

Renewable energy major EDF Renewables has been working with offshore wind developer Deep Wind Offshore on the first offshore wind projects in Norway since 2021.

This work includes producing a competitive bid for the qualitative Utsira Nord tender and one of the focus areas is the development of a robust supply chain in Norway. The consortium has now chosen its preferred supplier for floating wind foundations in the Norwegian supplier Moreld Ocean Wind.

Strengthening the Norwegian local supply chain 

The consortium has investigated several floating solutions. Moreld Ocean Wind is a Norwegian leading industrial group based in Stavanger, specializing in offshore energy and marine industries.

The Ocergy floater that Moreld offers is an innovative steel three-column construction that ensures good stability, fast assembly, and low weight. It is what the consortium considers to be the most sustainable and cost-effective solution at Utsira Nord.

“EDF Renewables has more than 10 years of experience in offshore wind and is currently constructing one of the first floating wind farms in the world, Provence Grand Large. We’re pleased to partner with Deep Wind Offshore on this project, who complement our global experience and extensive technical expertise with their local presence and in-debt knowledge of the local supply chain,” says Frédéric Belloy, Executive Vice President of International operations of EDF Renewables and adds:

“We’ve already enjoyed strong interactions with the Norwegian supply chain across a range of our projects and are delighted to continue doing so with Moreld and Ocergy to deliver a robust offer as part of the Utsira Nord bidding process”  

This decision further illustrates the attention paid by the consortium to strengthening the Norwegian local supply chain while preparing itself for the next stages of the tender process.

With this project, EDF Renewables and Deep Wind Offshore are committed to supporting Norway to achieve its goal of doubling power production by 2040, including 30 GW of offshore wind production.

Milestone Achievement: Norway’s Offshore Wind Ambitions Bolstered by Floating LiDAR

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The LiDAR has been successfully installed at the Utsira Nord site.

Energy Valley member TGS, a leading provider of energy data and intelligence for offshore wind, announced today the successful deployment of the first-ever LiDAR buoy measurement campaign to support Norwegian offshore wind development. 

This event represents the first industry-led investment and installation toward making large-scale Norwegian offshore wind a reality.

“Energy Valley is very glad to see the first joint industry project for the development of large-scale offshore wind development in Norway sailing. This is another good signal of the Norwegian industry taking the initiative and the correct steps to deliver our first floating wind parks at Utsira Nord,” says Head of Business Development at Energy Valley, Daniel Miravalles. 

“Utsira Nord is an important, exciting energy and industrial project. This is a good example of how we have picked up the pace in offshore wind development and that the consortia have started concrete activities. We need the data that will now be acquired on wind, waves, ocean currents, and birds if we are to successfully build out the power capacity,” says Terje Aasland, Norway’s Oil and Energy Minister. 

Enhancing the decision-making ability for investing in offshore wind 

The buoy, which is part of a global campaign by TGS to deliver high-quality wind measurements to wind developers, has been deployed in the Utsira Nord zone. It uses state-of-the-art sensors to conduct wind, metocean, and environmental measurements to enhance decision-making for the three floating wind project areas to be awarded in Norway’s first floating wind lease round.

“We are thrilled to be part of this pivotal point in the story of Norwegian offshore wind. Our multi-client floating LiDAR buoy deployments enhance the decision-making ability of all stakeholders investing in this region’s offshore wind development future, and this is proven by significant interest and commitment from Utsira Nord wind consortia,” says Jan Schoolmeesters, EVP of Digital Energy Solutions at TGS. 

The company’s unique multi-client approach, where multiple customers can subscribe to the same floating LiDAR data, allows all offshore wind stakeholders to minimize energy yield uncertainty, make better project development decisions and reduce the costs and turnaround time associated with acquiring bankable wind and metocean data.

Making data available for stakeholders 

The TGS buoy is equipped to provide an extensive range of data throughout a 12-month measurement campaign, with the possibility of extending for an extra year. Alongside measuring wind speeds, the data package encompasses essential metocean and environmental information, encompassing significant wave heights, profiles of ocean currents, and acoustic surveillance of birds and bats.

Data is continuously streamed, quality-controlled, and made available to customers on a daily basis through the Wind AXIOM platform, a comprehensive site evaluation, and wind data analytics tool allowing stakeholders to analyze the most influential factors impacting their offshore wind projects.

Utsira Nord marks the sixth global deployment of TGS multi-client floating LiDARs over the past 12 months but is the first aimed at floating wind development, being situated in approximately 270 m of water depth. The previous five buoys are active off the US East Coast, and TGS is planning additional deployments in offshore wind markets globally.