The Swedish government has approved the development of two offshore wind farms and one onshore wind project, while rejecting 11 other offshore wind proposals due to concerns over their impact on national defence capabilities.
According to an opinion article by Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari, Energy Minister Ebba Busch and Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson, the approved Fyrskeppet project in the southern Bothnian Sea and Vidar in the northern Skagerrak could generate up to 19 TWh of electricity annually.
The government also approved a large onshore wind farm in Markbygden, near Piteå.
At the same time, authorities rejected 11 proposed offshore wind projects in the Gulf of Bothnia, the Bothnian Sea and the Kattegat/west coast area, citing unacceptable impacts on Sweden’s defence interests.
The government also announced plans to replace the current “open door” permitting system for offshore wind with an auction-based model, under which the state will first designate suitable development areas before developers compete for construction rights.
