Green Volt Floating Offshore Wind Project in Europe Granted Planning Approval

Leading offshore wind developers Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn, a joint venture between Plenitude (Eni) and HitecVision, have announced that their floating offshore wind project, Green Volt, has been granted offshore planning approval.

With onshore consent announced earlier this month, Green Volt has now received all its planning approvals and remains on track to be the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in Europe.

When completed, Green Volt will include up to 35 floating wind turbines, providing up to 560 MW of renewable energy capacity. As part of Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round, the project will deliver renewable electricity to oil and gas platforms, replacing existing natural gas and diesel power generation. 

Green Volt will also provide electricity to the UK grid. Green Volt will reduce carbon emissions by 1m tonnes per annum. It is 50 percent owned by Flotation Energy and 50 percent by Vårgrønn.

“Scotland is one of the best places in the world to develop offshore wind and its supply chain and we are determined to maximise the huge economic opportunity offshore wind can bring," said Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland.

“Green Volt is of international significance, placing Scotland at the leading edge of a new floating wind sector. This multi-billion pound development can now move forward confidently, creating hundreds of local jobs and proving that the UK and Scottish supply chain is ready to deliver commercial scale floating projects, at pace," Nicol Stephen, CEO at Flotation Energy.

As part of the North Sea Transition Deal, oil and gas operators have agreed to deliver a 50 percent reduction in offshore greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. A new emission reduction plan published by the North Sea Transition Authority in March 2024 places the electrification of offshore platforms at the center of emissions reductions.