The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) has approved a 10 billion Norwegian Krone (£740 million) state aid scheme to develop small-scale floating offshore wind projects in Norway.
The funding, under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF), aims to help larger floating offshore wind farms more cost-effective in the future.
The aid scheme will be administered by Enova, a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Climate and Environment. It will have a total budget of up to NOK 10 billion, with funding to be distributed through several competitive bidding rounds. The scheme will be in force until 31 December 2030.
It replaces an ongoing program approved by ESA in 2023 under the then applicable Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework and is set to expire in December this year.
Earlier this year ESA approved state aid worth NOK 35 billion for the 1.5GW Utsira Nord floating offshore wind project located in the North Sea off the coast of Rogaland County.