10/30/2023

Eolus submits application to the government for offshore wind off Sweden’s southern coast

With 50–70 wind turbines off Skåne's southern coast, the Arkona wind power project can produce around 5.5 TWh of renewable electricity per year. This is in an expansive region with high energy consumption and low electricity production. Eolus has now submitted the permit application for the project to the government.

Image: Eolus (Ale Stenar)

"We have submitted a solid application and hope that the government recognizes that Arkona is an optimized wind power project with low environmental impact and a significant supply of renewable electricity to an area with very high electricity prices," says Anna Lundsgård, Head of Offshore at Eolus, one of the leading developers of renewable energy in the Nordic region.

Since 2021, Eolus has been investigating the possibilities of establishing the Arkona wind power project, just over 22 km south of Skåne's coast within Sweden's economic zone. The facility has a potential capacity of up to approximately 1,400 MW, which means an addition of about 5.5 TWh of renewable electricity per year. Skåne consumes approximately 13 TWh of electricity annually, while regional production only amounts to about 3 TWh/year. Arkona could thus more than double the current electricity production in Skåne.

"Eolus has been shaping the future of renewable energy since its inception in 1990, and we know that there is a great need of green electricity for regional industries. It's not difficult to see what a fantastic addition a wind power project like this would be," says Anna Lundsgård.

"Arkona is large enough to be a very positive contribution to Skåne's energy supply, while the project has a realistic construction time, uses resources sparingly, and thus has limited impact on the local environment. In addition, the possibility of grid connection is good," she adds.

Other wind power developers have planned projects in the area, which can be seen as confirmation that the area is well suited for offshore wind power.

"The government advocates a diversity of actors in offshore wind power, and we see that Eolus has an obvious place in this area. We have had constructive consultations and see good opportunities for coexistence with the Swedish Armed Forces, shipping, commercial fisheries, and other interests," says Anna Lundsgård.

Decisions on permits for offshore wind power parks located outside municipal waters are made by the government, which sends the application for processing to the relevant county administrative board.