Three months ago, Tony Gbeli, 25, worked on the Njord A platform, which is being upgraded at the Aker Solutions shipyard in Stord. Now he is using the same expertise as a welder to build wind turbines that will deliver clean energy.
“It’s very exciting and nice to be able to work with something that I think will be important in the future,” says Gbelee.
He thinks there may be many more such jobs in the coming years.
– I hope that. I have previously worked on many platforms and modules. Now there are a lot of people who want to invest in renewable energy, and that’s a good thing, says Stordabboin.
It should provide strength to the platforms
TV 2 meets a welder on the wharf in Dommersnes, where infrastructure for what will be 11 wind turbines that will be towed to the Tampen field next year and powering the platforms at the Snorre and Gullfaks fields is now being poured.
The height of the concrete columns will be 107.5 meters, and after the installation of the turbines they will rise 190 meters above sea level. The rotating blades have a diameter of 167 metres.
Concrete: 11 identical 107.5-meter core structures are being built by Aker Solutions in Dommersnes in Rogaland. Photo: Mathias Kleiveland / TV 2
The wind turbines will have a capacity of 88 megawatts and will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 200,000 tons per year. This corresponds to emissions from 100,000 vehicles, says Aker Solutions’ project manager, Erik Stormyr.
Technology from the petroleum industry
He says this is the first time the company has built serial concrete structures, and much of the same technology is being used to build oil and gas rigs.
Reinvestment: The project manager at Aker Solutions believes we will see more large floating wind farms in Norway. Photo: Mathias Kleiveland / TV 2
—This is an important part of what we are focusing on to shift from oil and gas to renewable energy and reduce carbon, says Stormer.
According to the COO, Aker Solutions’ ambitions are that a third of the company’s production will be renewable by 2025 and two-thirds of its production is renewable by 2030. Part of this investment is to build wind turbines.
“I am sure you will see more large floating wind farms in Norway in the future,” says project manager Eric Stormer.
The work is conditional on 250 working years, and a total of 800 with subcontractors.
Equinor has ordered what will be the world’s largest floating wind farm and the first of its kind to power off-the-shelf oil and gas rigs.
I think the most amazing thing is that we can use technology and the history of oil and gas to apply it to renewable systems. Project manager Olaf Haga at Equinor says the efficiencies we’ve built over a long period of time are well applicable to the green transition.
lower emissions. Equinor’s project manager, Olav Haga, stands in front of one of the concrete infrastructures of what will be a wind turbine that rises 190 meters above sea level. Photo: Mathias Kleiveland / TV 2
Thus, knowledge from an industry that is offensive to many will contribute to greener energy and new jobs.
– I am sure that a large number of these jobs will be created in the future and it is one way to get renewable energy in Norway, says Olav Haga at Equinor.
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