Eolus Vind has applied for a permit to build a wind farm off the western coast of Sweden. The project, named Västvind, is planned to have up to 50 wind turbines with a maximum height of 320 metres and an installed capacity of 1,000 MW.
The company is proposing to build the offshore wind farm at a site located west of Gothenburg, outside Öckerö and Kungälv, with an aim to start construction in 2027 and have Västvind up and running by 2029.
Eolus submitted the application to both the Land and Environment Court in Västra Götaland and the Swedish government as the offshore wind farm site is located in both territorial waters and in Sweden’s economic zone, requiring permits from both authorities.
The application, including the environmental impact assessment, will be put up for consultation with relevant stakeholders before a decision is taken on the permit.
Anna Lundsgård, Head of Offshore at Eolus, said: “I am very pleased that we have now filed the permit application and are thus moving the project forward. Sweden has robust environmental laws and we hope that the feedback from the consultation process will be constructive and will help make the project even better”.
Västvind has an estimated annual electricity generation of approximately 4 TWh, which is equivalent to all current electricity consumption in Gothenburg, according to Eolus’s CEO Per Witalisson, who also noted that the project would have major economic benefits for the region.
“Without the addition of new electricity generation, the region’s development and thus jobs in the automotive and chemicals industries are under threat. The wind power project itself will create a large number of jobs in the locality, both during the construction phase and when the farm is in operation”, Per Witalisson said.
“Based on a study of incentives and compensation in connection with wind power establishments presented in the spring, the municipalities of Öckerö and Kungälv can also expect to receive several million Swedish kronor per year earmarked for local activities if the proposal is implemented”.
The project has already attracted interest from the Port of Gothenburg (Göteborgs Hamn), which has become a minority owner by taking a 5 per cent stake in the project earlier this year. According to Eolus, the move came as part of the port’s commitment to secure the supply of green electricity as a sharp increase in its electricity requirements is expected between now and 2030.
Besides Sweden, Eolus also has several offshore wind projects proposed abroad, including Finland and Latvia.
According to information on the company’s website, Eolus has an offshore wind project portfolio of 10 GW, as of 31 March 2023.
