Sweden’s wind power market closed the first quarter of this year with almost 1GW of new capacity contracted and investments worth Skr10bn (€990m), according to figures from trade group Svensk Vindenergi.
Most of these new projects are located in northern Sweden, with as much as 75% of the new wind power capacity to be added in the electricity areas SE1 and SE2.
The group predicted that if development continues at the current pace, before 2030 investments in Swedish will correspond to around Skr100bn by 2030.
The association said that demand for wind power projects is outstripping the rate of new permits being granted, which could lead to a slow down.
“There are two simultaneous stories in this quarter’s statistics. On the one hand, it shows Sweden’s retained attractiveness as an investment environment and that we are a country that has sufficient confidence to attract capital that builds Swedish energy infrastructure.
“At the same time, we see an impending shortage of buildable projects due to the fact that fewer and fewer environmental permits are granted, said Daniel Badman, CEO of Svensk Vindenergi.
The trade body has proposed that the Environmental Code be adjusted to accommodate more wind power over other interests.