Norsk Vind Energi AS plans 1,500 MW wind farm in Norway

Norsk Vind Energi AS (NVE) has submitted plans to the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate for the development of the Hordavind wind farm in Nordhordland. The size of the project is 1,500 MW and is expected to have annual power production of more than 5.4 TWh. This corresponds to the energy consumption of over 300,000 households. If approved, Hordavind will be one of Europe's largest wind farms. The government will prepare the basis for the environmental assessment for the proposed wind farm which, Norsk Vind hopes be carried out this summer. 

Wind power on land has in recent years seen a very positive cost development and the CEO of NVE Ove Skorpen thinks the wind farm will be profitable with a power price of less than NOK 300/MWh (€30.84/MWh). Taking this into consideration, Hordavind will be built without government subsidies.

The wind farms that have been built in Norway up to now have largely foreign ownership. One of the reasons for this is that Norwegian companies were not allowed to invest in Norwegian wind power. The Government has now changed this legislation and local companies now have the opportunity to invest in the wind sector. 

Ove Skorpen says that the farm will most likely be built in four areas and the power capacity of each project will range from 80MW to 950MW. The number of turbines has not been confirmed yet, but if it is assumed, that the average power will be 6 MW, it will result in 250 turbines. 

NVE is Norway's largest private developer of onshore wind power. Their projects are mainly located in Norway, but the activity abroad is increasing. The company has an active role in the development, construction and operation phase of the projects and also has ownership in some of the wind power plants that are built. 

NVE expects to begin construction of Nordhordland in 2023.