Anglo-Dutch supermajor Shell has joined forces with Norwegian power groups Lyse and BKK to apply for licenses to develop offshore wind in the Sørlige Nordsjø II and Utsira Nord areas off Norway.

The three companies recently signed an agreement forging their alliance, and work to prepare the two applications is said to be well underway. The partnership sees Sørlige Nordsjø II, located on the border of Danish waters, as ideal for a connection to continental Europe.

“We see Norway as interesting both in the perspective of supplying enough renewable energy to Europe and to develop floating offshore wind solutions that can become commercially viable. To us, Lyse and BKK are also valuable partners in a global context, with expertise in hydropower and grid infrastructure, said Hessel de Jong, Shell’s general manager for offshore wind in Europe.

With this move, Shell has joined several energy giants, including BP, Equinor and Ørsted to take part in the race for Norwegian offshore wind projects.

Sørlige Nordsjø II will be developed without government support. Norway plans to announce the auction in Q1 2022 and to award two or three project areas based on a two-stage process.

For Utsira Nord, floating offshore wind is the only eligible technology, and the Norwegian government has proposed allocating at least three projects of up to 500 MW.