Swedish renewables developer Eolus has applied to build the 2.2GW Skidbladner offshore wind farm some 20 km north of Gotska Sandön.
The wind farm will have up to 147 wind turbines and an estimated electricity production of 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.
Eolus is planning several offshore wind farms in Swedish waters, two of which are located in the Swedish economic zone offshore Gotland – Skidbladner and Herkules. Together, they have the potential to supply Sweden with 4.6GW of installed capacity and a total electricity production of approximately 25 TWh per year.
Skidbladner covers a project area of approximately 1,400 sq km, and its maximum of 147 wind turbines can have a maximum total height of 360 meters to the blade tip mounted on floating foundations that are anchored to the seabed. The floating wind farm is expected to be completed by 2033.
“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 Per Witalisson, CEO of Eolus.
“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,” added Lars Thomsson, coordinator of Energy Island Gotland.
