Eolus has applied to the Swedish government for permission to build the 147-turbine, 2200MW Skidbladner floating offshore wind farm 20 kilometers north of Gotska Sandön.
The estimated electricity production is 11.7 TWh per year, which corresponds to half of today’s electricity consumption in Stockholm County or more than ten times Gotland’s electricity needs, the company said.
“Given the enormous need for new electricity production in Sweden, offshore wind power will need to be expanded gradually over many years to come. A wind farm of this size would therefore make a significant contribution to the Swedish electricity supply,” said chief executive Per Witalisson (pictured).
Eolus is planning several offshore wind farms in Swedish waters, two of which are located in the Swedish economic zone off Gotland; Skidbladner and Herkules. Together, they have the potential to supply Sweden with 4.6 GW of installed capacity and a total electricity production of approximately 25 TWh per year.
Skidbladner, which reaches an important milestone with the application being submitted to the government, covers a project area of approximately 1400 square kilometers.
There can be a maximum of 147 wind turbines, with a maximum total height of 360 meters to the blade tip, mounted on floating foundations that are anchored to the seabed.
“The goal is for Gotland to have a completely renewable energy system by 2040, and initiatives like the Skidbladner offshore wind farm fit very well into that plan,” said Lars Thomsson, coordinator of Energy Island Gotland.
The area for the Skidbladner wind farm is located about 100 kilometres southeast of Stockholm and 20 kilometres north of Gotska Sandön.
The wind farm is expected to be completed by 2033.
“One advantage of floating wind power is that it can be placed further out from the coast where wind conditions are even better and the visual impact is minimal. Eolus was a pioneer when we started as a wind power developer in the 90s. Now we look forward to being among the first to realise floating wind power in the Baltic Sea,” said Anna Lundsgård, head of offshore wind power at Eolus.