Sweden rejects 13 Baltic Sea Wind Farms, citing defense concerns

The Swedish government announced on Monday that it has rejected 13 applications for offshore wind farms to be built in the Baltic Sea because of defence concerns. However, it has approved one project on the west coast.

Pal Jonson, the Swedish Defence Minister, said at a recent press conference that wind farms built in the Baltic Sea could harm defence interests. This is because they would make it more difficult to detect and shoot missiles with Patriot batteries in a conflict.

Poseidon, a single wind farm on the west coast that has been given the green light, will produce 5.5 Twh per year of electricity, according to the government.

The government has yet to make a decision on 10 more applications for offshore wind farms.

Sweden plans to double its electricity production in the next 20 years to 300 Twh, to meet the expected increase in demand due to the phase-out of fossil fuels by industry and transport.

Right-of-centre government has focused so far on nuclear energy, with the aim of building 10 full-scale reactors equivalent by 2045. Sweden has six reactors currently in operation.

In 2023, Sweden will produce 163 Twh. Around 21%, or 34 Twh, was generated by wind power.

(source: Reuters)