Danish wind industry tycoon Ørsted has plans to build a 1.5 GW Skåne offshore wind farm. It has already completed an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project – documents are awaiting approval.
The Skåne offshore wind farm will be located about 22 kilometers south of Skåne. The electricity will be able to cover half of Skåne’s demand. The wind farm will play an important role in the region’s electricity supply – it can supply power to approximately 700,000 households per year. The project area covers 450 km2, where the conditions for wind power are very good. The application for grid connection was submitted many years ago.
Skane Photo: Ørsted
The completion of the EIA is an important milestone for the Ørsted project. The report describes the environmental impact of the wind project and the efforts the developer will make to manage the ecosystem, which will have an impact on biodiversity.
Ørsted looks at the waters of the Baltic Sea
Peter Obling, director of markets and trading in Europe at Ørsted, said the outlook for offshore wind in Sweden is promising.
“If all goes well, we are ready to invest tens of billions of Swedish kronor in the Skåne offshore wind farm. There will be an urgent need for electricity from RES sources in southern Sweden. The Skåne offshore wind farm, which will be larger than any other offshore wind farm currently in operation, can be a significant source of clean electricity and can be completed in time to meet the needs of energy-intensive Swedish industry, the transport sector and society as a whole”, Obling said.
The construction developer is currently awaiting comments from Swedish authorities. They are using this time to develop contacts and cooperation with the local community and business community, potential suppliers and other stakeholders.
The Baltic Sea region has the potential for more than 90 GW of offshore wind energy capacity. Around 20 GW could be developed in Swedish waters. Offshore wind farms can be used primarily to supply industry with green energy.
