Aker Wins Contract for Equinor-BP US Wind Project

Aker Solutions (FRA: 1AKA) has revealed that it has won a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract for the Empire Wind project in the U.S.

The FEED contract covers the study of the design and delivery of concrete foundations for the wind turbine generators (WTG) for the planned Empire Wind project in New York. As part of the deal, Aker Solutions will analyze how to design, construct and install concrete substructures standing on the seafloor to support the WTGs. The company will also analyze construction methods and models for marine operations to install the structures.

Empire Wind is being developed by Equinor (NYSE: EQNR) and BP (NYSE: BP) through their 50/50 strategic partnership in the U.S. Aker Solutions’ FEED award for Empire Wind follows the completion of the pre-FEED won in 2019. Work on the contract starts immediately and will be completed in August 2021, Aker Solutions revealed.

“In recent years, we have increased our activity within low-carbon and renewable energy projects, and offshore wind is a key growth area,” Kjetel Digre, the chief executive officer of Aker Solutions, said in a company statement.

“Aker Solutions is already delivering concrete hulls to Equinor’s Hywind Tampen offshore floating wind project. We are pleased to see that the Empire Wind development is considering using proven concrete technology, and that we can contribute with our expertise,” Digre added in the statement.

Earlier this month, Aker Solutions revealed that the company, in a consortium with Siemens Energy, was selected by Vattenfall as the preferred bidder for the Norfolk offshore wind project, which is located in the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk. If Vattenfall proceeds with the development, the intention is to conclude an EPCI (engineering, procurement, construction, installation) contract where the consortium will deliver HVDC converter platforms for the grid connection infrastructure. 

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com