Efficient Floating Offshore Wind Realization:A Comparative Legal Analysis of France, Norway and the United Kingdom

Floating offshore wind (FOW) has the potential to play a key role in many states' decarbonization policies going forward. The reason is that the majority of the world's wind energy potential is located offshore at depths where deployment of conventional bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines is not economically profitable. To realize FOW's potential as a key decarbonization technology policy makers and legislators must design legal frameworks that properly address the three main barriers to efficient deployment: (a) spatial competition, (b) need for state financing and (c) allocation of grid connection responsibilities. This article analyses and compares Norway, France and the United Kingdom's regulation of the three main barriers to efficient FOW deployment with respect of their ability to ensure efficient realisation. The article concludes with best practices and recommendation to policy makers and legislators on how to regulate the three main barriers to accomplish efficient FOW deployment