Dutch firm SBM Offshore, one of the world's largest FPSO suppliers, has teamed up with Irish renewable energy firm DP Energy to pursue floating offshore wind energy opportunities off Nova Scotia with their now formalized new joint venture.
The partnership will strive to support Nova Scotia’s ambitious climate action targets and contribute meaningfully to the phasing out of coal from the grid, creating a cleaner more sustainable future for Nova Scotia, SBM Offshore said.
"Since 2021, the local team has been engaging in Nova Scotia with the objective of understanding local constraints and opportunities. The initial focus of the newly formed joint venture is to support the development of a floating offshore wind industry in Nova Scotia, contributing carefully to the implementation of environmental, regulatory, supply chain, workforce, and construction best practices. Such foundation for an ambitious, yet sustainable energy transition, can only be established through honest engagement and local dialogue with all key stakeholders; first nations and other interested parties will remain a priority throughout the partnership’s endeavours," SBM Offshore added.
Severine Baudic, Managing Director New Energies and Services at SBM Offshore said “We are very pleased to announce the formalization of our partnership with DP Energy, a well-recognized developer in the renewable energy space. We believe that Canada’s offshore wind resource is amongst the best in the world. As an offshore energy transition company with proven experience in Nova Scotia, we are excited to expand our partnerships with the local community and write a new chapter, together.”
Simon De Pietro, CEO of DP Energy said “With SBM Offshore we have found a strong partner to pioneer Canada’s floating offshore wind sector. The combination of their proven offshore construction capability, and a project development philosophy with strong emphasis on building up local supply chains, and our abiding commitment to protect the environment, is the ideal team to start Canada’s promising plan to create a new renewable offshore energy industry to help the world’s common climate challenge.”
“Our 30-year approach to renewable project development puts the environment and local communities front and centre. Floating offshore wind is an exciting new opportunity for Nova Scotia and will bring much needed new investment which can add to coastal economies and communities.”