Falck Renewables and Bluefloat Energy plan 1.4GW floating offshore wind off Italy

Nora Ventu, a joint venture betweenFalck Renewables and BlueFloat Energy, has launched a public consultation to discuss plans to develop two floating offshore wind farms with a combined capacity of nearly 1.4GW in the Gulf of Cagliari, off the Italian island of Sardinia.

The company filed requests with the Italian authorities for a maritime concession for each of the two projects last December.

The 795MW Nora Energia 1 Nora Energia 1 (795MW) Offshoreoff Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, Europe Click to see full details project is planned for a site in the Sardinian Channel, 22-35km south-west of the Gulf of Cagliari. It is expected to use 53 turbines and generate 2.6TWh of energy a year. 

And the 600MW Nora Energia 2 Nora Energia 2 (600MW) Offshoreoff Capo Carbonara, Sardinia, Italy, Europe Click to see full details site is to feature 40 wind turbines located about 30km south of Capo Carbonara, south-east of Cagliari. Its annual energy production is estimated at 1.9TWh.

The local engagement phase that has just been launched precedes the beginning of the formal authorisation procedure, which will involve a preliminary scoping process for the project’s environmental impact study.

Visual impact analyses already carried out show that the proposed projects would be almost invisible from the coast, according to the developers. Sardinia is a prime tourist destination in the Mediterranean Sea.

Nora Ventu has highlighted that the proposed projects would bring significant benefits to the local economy and supply chain, with an estimated 4,000 direct jobs being created during the manufacturing, assembly and construction phases. 

Once operational, the projects are expected to generate more than 300 long-term jobs, with around 80% of the workforce coming from the local area. Sardinia is one of the poorest regions in Italy, with an unemployment rate close to 20%, against a nationwide average of 13%.

Goods and services for the construction and maintenance of the Nora Energia projects will be primarily sourced from local companies, according to Nora Ventu, and training schemes will be provided for the local workforce.

The wind farm would boost the Port of Cagliari and provide partnership opportunities for study and research at Sardinian universities.

Falck Renewables has a long tradition in the Italian energy sector, while BlueFloat Energy is a leading player in floating offshore wind technology.

They recently revealed plans for the 675MW Minervia Energia Minervia Energia (675MW) OffshoreGulf of Squillace, off Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy, Europe Click to see full details floating offshore wind farm off Catanzaro in Calabria, southern Italy. 

The Sardinian announcement boosts the two companies’ offshore wind pipeline in Italy to more than 4.5GW. It includes the planned Kailia Energia and Odra Energia, both off the south-eastern region of Apulia.

Italy has no operational offshore wind power capacity at present, but the under-construction nearshore 30MW Port of Taranto Port of Taranto (30MW) Offshoreoff Taranto, Apulia, Italy, Europe Click to see full details project is due online this year.