The authority of the Swedish seaport has earmarked SEK15m (about €1.32m) for purchasing 5% of Västvind and further partially financing the project costs.

The 1,000MW offshore wind farm - which will be located in the Kungälv and Öckerö municipalities - will produce 4-4.5TWh/year (or what the City of Gothenburg currently consumes).

Eolus plans to submit the permit application, with the accompanying environmental impact assessment, to the country's land and environment court and the government this year. The start of construction is planned for 2027, and completion two years later.

"The Port of Gothenburg is facing a green transformation that will entail a sharp increase in the port's electricity needs already during the period up until 2030. The port's forecasts for future electricity consumption show a multi-fold increase in the need for power. There is already a severe deficit in electricity generation in the region, and demand for electricity is expected to double by 2035," the Gothenburg Port Authority (GPA) underscored in a press release.

Elvir Dzanic, GPA's CEO, added, "The world's major ports will become energy hubs and centers for the manufacture of hydrogen gas and e-fuel for maritime traffic. The Port of Gothenburg's strategy is to lead the green transition of maritime traffic, but this position will not come about without some effort. Access to green electricity will be entirely crucial for the port's development and competitiveness. Investing in electricity production is therefore a strategic decision for us."

Per Witalisson, CEO of Eolus, also highlighted, "Regional renewable electricity generation is an integral and necessary part of the green transition in both the transportation sector and industry in western Sweden. It is therefore both natural and strategically important that the Port of Gothenburg is part of Västvind."

He furthered, "Västvind could play a key role in western Sweden's ambitions of becoming northern Europe's center for the electric vehicles and battery manufacture of the future, and the world's most climate-smart port logistics. Access to green electricity is a decisive issue in this regard. In practice, offshore wind power is the only source of energy that can contribute such large amounts of new electricity generation in the timeframe up until 2035."

Photo: Eolus