Ilmatar Offshore Ab has expressed its interest in developing an offshore wind farm on the north side of Åland. A fully built wind park could be operational by 2030, estimated of producing 20 TWh of energy annually. This would be a sizeable amount of renewable energy for the Ålandic, Finnish and Swedish markets.
The Government of Åland created its first official marine spatial plan for the use of marine and coastal areas in 2021. A significant opportunity for offshore wind production was identified, both in the northern and southern marine regions, with approximately 1000 km2 potentially suitable for offshore wind energy production. This opportunity was named Project Sunnanvind, and it holds a total potential to produce as much as 31 TWh of offshore wind energy annually in these areas.
Ilmatar Offshore Ab is a newly founded company based in Mariehamn and is currently recruiting its team on Åland. Ilmatar is interested in planning, constructing, owning and operating an offshore wind park on the northern marine area identified in the Åland marine spatial plan. Ilmatar Offshore is an entirely owned subsidiary of the Finnish energy company Ilmatar Energy Oy.
“We are excited to get to know Åland better and start planning for a renewable energy future together. We are in this for the long run and want to become an integral part of the Åland society”, says Mikko Toivanen, co-founder of Ilmatar Energy Oy and member of the board at Ilmatar Offshore Ab.
While the project holds significant job creation and export potential for the future of Åland, it is the future of the planet that is at stake, too.
“Project Sunnanvind is a huge opportunity for Åland to establish itself as a key European renewable energy player. From an environmental point of view, there is no choice, really – we need to be heading towards a fossil-free future. And of course, the past weeks have tragically highlighted to us the need for a renewable energy transition from a self-sufficiency and security point of view”, concludes Kalle Pykälä, co-founder and chairman Ilmatar Energy Oy.
Ilmatar Energy Oy, the parent company of Ilmatar Offshore Ab, was founded in Finland in 2011. Its focus is on onshore wind energy, with operations ranging from greenfield development and construction management to operational asset management and retail sales of renewable energy and being a leading long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) provider in Finland. Ilmatar currently has 26 onshore wind parks operating, under construction or in the planning phase in Finland. Ilmatar Energy is owned by its founders, private investors, funds managed by Omnes Capital, and the company’s management board.
Source: Ilmatar Offshore Ab
