Approaches to assessing the sustainability of floating offshore wind in Norway: Utsira Nord as a case study

Abstract Norway has set ambitious fossil fuel reduction targets that are not likely to be met without rapid development of the wind power sector. Norway’s extensive coastline and continental shelf present an opportunity for the development of floating offshore wind. However, ensuring these developments are sustainable will require a holistic approach to managing the Norwegian coast: one that that considers social, environmental, and economic impacts. Furthermore, due to the high upfront costs associated with floating offshore wind as well as public contention over wind parks, the current political landscape has created uncertainty around the issuing of licenses for developing floating offshore wind parks. Here, we focus on the case of Utsira Nord (which is planned to be the largest floating offshore wind park in the world) as a case study for how to assess the holistic sustainability of such developments.