In brief
Enova’s $425 million investment supports the installation of four 18.5‑megawatt turbines at a Swedish demonstration site, projected to supply 300 million kWh each year. The grant, split between Fortius Offshore Wind and Fram Wind Solutions, will test floating foundations, mooring systems, and construction methods to cut costs and accelerate large‑scale adoption of the technology.
In a push to lower the costs of offshore renewable generation, Norway’s state‑owned agency Enova awarded 3.94 billion Norwegian kroner—about $425 million—to two floating wind demonstration projects on 30 October 2026.
Fortius Offshore Wind will receive 2 billion kroner (roughly $216 million) while Fram Wind Solutions will be granted 1.94 billion kroner (about $209 million). The disbursement is conditional on the projects being carried out at the METCentre demonstration site off Karmøy in southwestern Norway.
Each company plans to install two 18.5‑megawatt floating turbines over the next five years, for a combined total of four units. The four turbines are projected to generate roughly 300 million kilowatt‑hours of electricity annually—enough to power about 15,000 Norwegian homes.
The demonstration will focus on testing key technical components that influence cost, including floating foundations, mooring systems, and construction and operating methods. By evaluating these elements in a real‑world setting, Enova hopes to lower the capital and operational expenses that have kept floating wind off the commercial table.
Enova’s chief executive, Evy Glorstad, said that making the technology commercially viable could accelerate large‑scale renewable energy development, help Norwegian industry, and reduce transport emissions.
"Making the technology commercially viable could accelerate large-scale renewable energy development, help Norwegian industry, and reduce transport emissions,"
She added that the projects were chosen through a competitive process that considered electricity output relative to funding, potential for wider technological adoption, environmental impacts, and prospects for future cost reductions.
The funding is expected to yield the first set of concrete economic data on floating wind’s commercial outlook, a sector that has long struggled with the high costs of installation in deep waters. The METCentre site provides a deep‑water environment ideal for testing mooring and foundation designs that can later be scaled for larger capacity projects.
Beyond the Norwegian context, the results of these two pilots could influence floating wind projects across Europe, where nations are increasingly looking to offshore turbines to satisfy decarbonisation targets. Lowering upfront capital and operational costs could unlock larger deployments, creating jobs within the local supply chain and cutting the dependence on shipments of heavy machinery.
Enova’s funding comes at a time when governments are reviewing subsidies and incentives to support this emerging technology. By allocating capital to demonstration projects that emphasise cost‑effective design, the agency is taking an active role in shaping the next decade of renewable infrastructure.
Both Fortius Offshore Wind and Fram Wind Solutions have confirmed that the 18.5‑megawatt units will be delivered in phases, with the first turbine expected on site in 2027 and final commissioning slated for 2031. The demonstration will run for five years, with data from operational turbines feeding back into engineering models and market forecasts.
As the projects progress, industry observers will watch closely for figures on maintenance costs, turbine downtime, and the performance of floating foundations in Norwegian waters, all of which will inform investment decisions for future floating wind farms worldwide.
