The construction of offshore wind power projects in Finland’s economic zone has been delayed due to the government’s decision not to grant exclusive rights to any one company for the development of these projects. A total of 11 companies had applied for exploitation rights for 16 areas in the Gulf of Pohjanlahti, where the right of use would be reserved for a specific company for a set period of time.
The Ministry of Labor and Economy reported that these companies had applied for exclusive rights to use the areas for offshore wind power for 40-70 years, with some areas overlapping with each other. However, the government’s aim is not to prevent the construction of wind power projects in these regions but rather to establish clear guidelines regarding the conditions for building wind power in the economic zone.
Kari Klemm, an advisor to the Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs, emphasized that while the government supports offshore wind power projects, they must ensure that the wider impacts of such projects are considered. The government is currently preparing a new law on offshore wind power in the economic zone, which will establish the process for selecting operators for specific sea areas through a tendering process. The goal is to have the law in effect by the end of the year.
Some companies, including Finland’s utility wind and Sweden’s OX2, raised concerns about how this decision might negatively impact their offshore wind projects. Finland’s utility wind highlighted significant offshore wind power potential in Finland’s economic zone and emphasized that a controlled approach was necessary when bringing project areas to market. OX2 expressed worry that their projects would be delayed but hoped for minimal disruption to their timeline.
Industry interest group Suomen Tuulivoimayhdistys echoed these concerns, stating that this decision would slow down offshore wind power project development in Finland’s economic zone. Expectations are now high for future tenders and new legislation aimed at supporting this industry.
The decision by the Finnish government to delay construction on offshore wind energy has sparked criticism from some players within