By Micaela Tuckwell
The Suurhiekka offshore wind farm, owned by wpd is to be built in the shallows of Suurheika which is 25 km from the coast of Li, in the Gulf of Bothnia between Finland’s West coast and Sweden’s East coast.
The recently granted water permit includes the decision on environmental acceptance and will allow construction to start by 2014, with the condition that technical approval can be granted.
The offshore wind project of 80 turbines has been under development by wpd since 2007 and will produce 1.5 TWh of electricity per year.
The advanced stage of the Suurhiekka project puts the question of remuneration for offshore wind in focus of Finnish energy politics. Without offshore wind, Finland cannot reach its national goals for 2020 and a support for offshore wind is therefore under discussion.
