Sweden plans to build first offshore wind farm

The Administrative Council of the Swedish region of Westra-Hetaland recommended that the government permit the energy company Vattenfall to build the first offshore wind farm, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets.

The proposal was put forward within the framework of a project prepared by the Administrative Council on behalf of the authorities.

The project involves the construction of a wind farm northwest of Gothenburg, consisting of 81 wind turbines up to 340 meters high (above the Eiffel Tower - ed.), which, according to Vattenfall calculations, will produce 5.5 terawatt hours of electricity.

The Administrative Council of the district for the production of electricity without the use of fossil fuels in Vestra Hetaland actively promotes rapid growth. Provincial Governor Stan Tolgfors spoke about the need to develop offshore wind and nuclear power to meet the demand for electricity in the region, which is expected to triple by 2045.

"The Poseidon wind farm has the potential to produce about the same amount of electricity that is produced annually in Westra Hetaland, and thus becomes an important factor in the transition to green energy," Tolgfors said in a press release.

Monique Wanding, head of the ecology department of the provincial administrative Council, says there have been discussions about the possible impact of the power plant on shipping, fishing, bird migration, the underwater environment for guinea pigs and fish, as well as the topography of the sea.

"After a balanced assessment, we concluded that the benefits of offshore wind energy are significant, as they contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change and are a prerequisite for regional development," Vanding stressed.

During the construction of the Poseidon power plant, it is planned to firmly fix wind turbines on the seabed and use technology that will be built on floating platforms. This is primarily due to the water depth of 230 meters in some parts of the 152 square kilometer area.