Engineering group Aker Solutions (OSLO:AKSO) has announced a tie-up venture with infrastructure developer Balfour Beatty (LON:BBY) that would see the two work together to deliver offshore wind projects.
Working under a new a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the firms said they would look to deliver “end-to-end design and construction solutions” for concrete floating and gravity-based UK offshore wind schemes.
The two said they would merge their “complementary” expertise and resources to offer a “whole life solution” – drawing on Balfour Beatty’s record in civil engineering works for infrastructure and energy projects, and Aker Solutions’ decades of experience in delivering concrete structures for the offshore sector.
The companies have since established a joint taskforce involving personnel from both organisations responsible for identifying future opportunities.
Stephen Tarr, chief executive of the infrastructure group’s major projects arm said the tie-up was the in response to increasing demand for offshore generation.
“This builds on decades of experience of constructing complex structures, most recently demonstrated by the production of large marine concrete components for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station,” he added.
Aker Solutions head of renewables Jason Brown added: “Concrete floating and gravity-based foundations are an excellent solution for offshore wind in the North Sea. They provide the level of performance needed in challenging sea conditions, demand high levels of local content and can be less carbon intensive than other go-to foundation solutions”.
It follows news earlier in the year that the Oslo-listed engineering firm would create 200 new UK jobs this year – a 25% increase – as part of a drive into renewables and low carbon oil and gas projects and a wider global recruitment push.
Meanwhile, the company this week announced an award from Vattenfall to help deliver offshore HVDC substations for the Norfolk Boreas wind project off the coast of East Anglia.
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