Offshore wind developer Skyborn Renewables has filed an application to build a 3.9GW wind farm in Sweden.
If approved, the Eystrasalt project would become the country’s largest offshore wind farm, according to Skyborn Renewables.
The developer says it has chosen to deliver the project in the Bothnian Sea due to good wind conditions and favorable sea depth – as well as the proximity to both Finland and northern Sweden.
‘Years of solid work’
Fredrik Hallander, project manager for Eystrasalt Offshore, said: “The application is the result of four years of solid work and extensive research into the project area.
“Among other things, sea measurements of depth conditions and geophysics, bottom surveys, sampling, test fishing, and bird inventories by boat have been carried out to get as good a basis as possible for the application.”
Located approximately 60 kilometres off the coast of Gävleborg in the Swedish economic zone in the Bothnian Sea, the wind farm will feature around 256 turbines.
Once commissioned, the project is expected to produce 15TWh of electricity per year, which could meet 10% of Sweden’s current electricity use.
Skyborn Renewables said this is the first Swedish offshore wind farm for which a permit has been sought in an area north of Stockholm.
Olle Hedberg, CEO of Skyborn Sweden, said: “The project is the first north of Stockholm to end up on the government’s table and fulfills an important role in quickly meeting the business world’s demand for new power.
“We see that offshore wind power is particularly well suited in northern Sweden due to the systemic advantages of hydropower’s regulating ability, which contributes to creating stability.”
The Swedish Energy Agency recently issued a report that provides a basis for the country’s marine planning to enable 120TWh of offshore wind production (or 30GW in generation capacity).
However, while the report highlights areas that could accommodate additional offshore wind capacity, the authorities are yet to designate new marine areas.
Image credit: fokke baarssen/Shutterstock
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