The leading offshore developer Ørsted has submitted an environmental report for the 1.5 GW Skåne Offshore Wind Farm outside Sweden.
The submission of the report was preceded by surveys and a thorough environmental impact assessment (EIA), says the developer.
Skåne’s offshore wind farm is planned in the Baltic Sea, approximately 22 kilometers south of Skåne, and can produce enough renewable electricity to cover half of Skåne’s current electricity needs.
The project area covers 450 square kilometers where the conditions for wind power are very good and the application for grid connection was made many years ago, Ørsted said.
“The prospects for offshore wind power in Sweden are incredibly exciting, and if all goes well, we are ready to invest tens of billions of kronor in Skåne Havsvindpark,” sa Peter Obling, Head of Markets and Commercial Areas for Continental Europe in Ørsted.
“There will be an urgent need for renewable electricity in southern Sweden. Skåne Havsvindpark, which will be larger than any other marine park in operation today, can be a significant source of clean electricity and can be realized in time to meet the needs of the energy-intensive Swedish industry, the transport sector and society at large. ”
The completion of the EIA report is an important milestone for Ørsted’s goal of delivering large-scale offshore wind power to Swedish homes and companies, the company says. The report describes the project’s impact on the environment and what efforts Ørsted will make to deal with it, in line with the company’s ambition to create a positive net effect on biodiversity in all its new renewable energy projects by 2030.
“It feels very good to submit the environmental impact statement, on which we have put a lot of work and energy. We are now awaiting the authorities’ views. We use the time to continue to develop our contacts and cooperation with the community and the business community in the vicinity, with potential suppliers and other interested parties. A project of this size is complex and requires long-term commitment, “ sa Beatrice Teurneau, Ørsted Senior Market Developer for offshore wind power in Sweden.
The Baltic Sea region has potential for more than 90 GW of offshore wind power, and Sweden accounts for 20 GW of that, Ørsted said.
In addition to the Skåne project, Ørsted is also developing the Gotland offshore wind farm in Sweden. This project will also have a capacity of up to 1500 MW. The wind farm is located about ten kilometers southwest of Gotland and covers an area of about 370 square kilometers. This project is also undergoing an environmental assessment.