Danish utility Ørsted has applied for permits to build four additional offshore wind farms in Sweden with a combined capacity of 15 GW by 2032.
The move comes on top of existing plans for 3 GW, lifting Ørsted’s Swedish portfolio to a potential 18 GW enough to cover more than half of the country’s electricity needs.
Ørsted aims to deliver its first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in Swedish waters, Skåne Havsvindpark by 2029, once all permits are in place and there is a plan for the expansion of the offshore grid. It also has a 1.5 GW Gotland offshore wind project on the cards for 2032.
The four new projects could be delivered over the next ten years with a clear regulatory framework, the utility said. They include the 1.5 GW Kattegat wind farm, the potential 4 GW Baltic Central project, and the Gävle st and Gävle Väst projects, which could have capacities of up to 5.5 GW and 4.0 GW, respectively, more than double Stockholm County’s electricity consumption.
Sweden has been mostly focused on onshore wind, with only about 200 MW of installed capacity offshore and nothing built since 2013. The country’s power demand could double by 2035.
“Sweden needs all the electricity that can be obtained and offshore wind power is clearly the fastest way to get the volumes needed to reduce electricity prices.
“Lower energy prices, in turn, reduce the need for state electricity price support. Our offshore wind power projects are strategically placed to deliver electricity where it is needed most and can help reduce the need for expensive upgrades in the transmission network from northern Sweden to places where the electricity is needed in the south. We believe offshore grid connections are a good and cost-effective investment for Sweden,” said Jesper Kühn Olesen, who heads up Orsted’s offshore wind projects in Sweden.
