During this last year, all leading European oil companies have announced plans to steer their businesses toward net climate neutrality.

In practically each case, offshore wind figures as one of the main technologies to supplant fossil fuels and thereby eliminate carbon emissions from conventional energy consumption.

Whereas Spain's Repsol in 2019 was one of the first major oil outfits to launch a real climate plan, the group has thus far moved only slightly toward wind at sea.

That, however, could soon change – at least in an indirect sense.

US developer Hecate, of which Repsol purchased 40-percent interest earlier this month, has teamed up with British IPC to launch a 10-GW project in the North Atlantic.

The undertaking, called HIP Atlantic, will consist of several GW-scale installations to be connected to the UK's power network via high-voltage direct-current cables. The projected development expenditure of GBP 21bn includes an investment of GBP 200m in a factory to be located in North East England to make cables for the long distance between the UK and the Nordic volcanic island.

"We will stretch the zone of British-operated wind generation outside of our traditional territorial waters, pushing the boundaries of existing cable technology to generate over 1,000 kms from our grid landfall points throughout England," writes HIP Chair Tony Baldry in a statement.

Involved parties have submitted grid connection applications for an initial capacity of 4 GW to be linked to the British transmission network. To begin with, two wind farms totaling 2 GW will be installed offshore of Iceland's southern and western coasts, with commissioning set for 2025.

The idea is for the farms to feature a mix of fixed-bottom offshore and floating wind, with each farm getting its own connection to Britain.

Even though there's a considerable distance between points, HIP's thought here is not entirely new.

Back in 2009, Icelandic transmission system operator Landsnet conducted a feasibility study for laying a cable all the way to the UK. Since 2016, that project – Icelink of 800-1,200 MW – has figured in the European Network of Transmission System Operators' catalog of potential future projects within the Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) regiment and with a timeline going to 2030.

That, however, has done little to advance the project in recent years.

English Edit: Daniel Frank Christensen

Consortium to invest EUR 3bn in Norwegian offshore wind

Siemens Energy, Aker Solutions form offshore wind partnership

RWE, BASF seek special tender for 2 GW in German North Sea

Vestager approves EUR 22.5bn Polish offshore wind subsidy scheme