Eolus submits permit application for offshore wind project off the coast of Blekinge

By: Chloe Emanuel

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26/02/2024 Eolus

The Blekinge Offshore wind farm, located within the municipalities of Karlshamn and Sölvesborg, includes up to 70 wind turbines with a production of approximately 4.3 TWh of renewable electricity per year. A significant addition for southern Sweden and Region Blekinge, which sees offshore wind power as an opportunity to increase self-sufficiency in electricity at competitive prices.

"The technical conditions are incredibly good with shallow water and proximity to the electricity grid, which means we can build with existing technology. That makes Blekinge Offshore an optimal project for those who want more electricity production and lower electricity prices in southern Sweden", says Per Witalisson, CEO of Eolus.

Blekinge Offshore is owned by Eolus and the local company Vingkraft, which is the initiator of the project.

"We are now submitting a completely revised application to build Blekinge Offshore. The project is important for the region's future and we can build it without compromising the living creatures and valuable environments that exist in the sea", says Anders Nilsson, CEO of Blekinge Offshore and initiator of the project.

Blekinge Offshore is located approximately 11 kilometres from the mainland, and approximately five kilometres east of Hanö, in an area identified as suitable for energy production in Blekinge's coastal municipalities' marine plans. In 2016, the government rejected an earlier application in the area with reference to the interests of the Armed Forces. The objections were then that the previous design area took up parts of a marine training area and that the distance between the wind turbines was too small. Since 2021, a new project has been developed with 40 percent less surface area, 90 percent fewer works and a fourfold distance – which means two kilometres – between them. Additional measures to meet the Armed Forces have been worked out in regional cooperation.

"Together with Region Blekinge as well as Kristianstad and Simrishamn, we have opened to offer the Swedish Armed Forces an expanded area for marine exercises in Hanö Bay. Our proposal for an expansion of 770 square kilometres corresponds to an area five times the size of Blekinge Offshore. From the side of the coastal municipalities and the region, we are very keen that the project will be completed", says Birgit Birgersson-Brorsson (S), chairman of the municipal board in Sölvesborg and Kith Mårtensson (M), deputy chairman of the municipal board in Sölvesborg.

Johan Dalén is Svenskt Näringsliv's regional manager in Skåne and Blekinge, and for him it has become increasingly clear that southern Sweden must create opportunities for more electricity production.

"We must stop pitting different types of energy against each other and instead approve every single kilowatt hour that we can produce ourselves in electricity area 4 - regardless of how it is produced. In this way, we create jobs instead of risking missing out on investments and establishments as a result of the uncertainty of electricity supply and higher electricity prices than surrounding regions", says Johan.

During a press conference in Nogersund on Monday morning, local fishermen were also present.

"Blekinge Offshore does not interfere with fishing. Rather, it will be a very good breeding ground for the fish that like to hide by the foundations", says Lennart Arvidsson, local fisherman.

The application for an environmental permit has now been submitted to the Land and Environmental Court in Växjö. At the same time, an application to carry out surveys on the seabed and lay out underwater cables has been sent to the Ministry of Climate and Business. The applications, including the environmental impact statement with associated investigations, will be sent out for referral to interested stakeholders before a decision on permission is made.


For more information about offshore wind farm projects across the globe, click here.

About the Author

4C Offshore | Chloe Emanuel
Chloe Emanuel

Press Coordinator

01502 307037 Chloe.Emanuel@4coffshore.net
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