Suomen Hyötytuuli has obtained the building and water permits for adding new turbines to the 42MW Tahkoluoto offshore wind energy (OWE) farm off the coast of Pori.
The so-called demonstration project, supported by NextGenerationEU funding, will see the addition of two at least 15MW strong turbines (the current ones, 11, have a capacity of 2.3-4.2MW).
The project aims to demonstrate the construction of new-scale offshore wind turbines, likewise testing foundations capable of withstanding harsh sea conditions (Tahkoluoto is the world's first OWE farm erected in freezing waters).
The entire expansion project assumes placing 40 new turbines, thus increasing the farm's capacity by 600-800MW by 2027-2029.
"These are the first permits granted to offshore wind turbines of this size in Finland. When applying for permits for Suomen Hyötytuuli, it was important to ensure that the plans comprehensively took into account the understanding of the marine nature of the area and became more detailed during the environmental impact assessment and zoning. Of course, it is also important to monitor the environmental impact during construction and in the early stages of production," said Juho Lappalainen, Project Development Manager responsible for the Tahkoluoto OWE farm expansion.
Manu Grönlund, Project Director of the demonstration project, added, "With the entry into force of the permits, the moment of investment decision on the demonstration project is approaching. The prices and availability of the project's critical components will be verified, after which the prerequisites for proceeding to the implementation phase have been met."
Meanwhile, the City of Pori - together with the Port of Pori, the city-owned company Suisto Kiinteistöt, as well as Suomen Hyötytuuli, Enersense, and the Dutch logistics service provider Olmar - are working on setting up an international hub for expertise and operations based on offshore wind power.
The competence hub will be located on a 50-hectare plot in the Port of Pori's Mäntyluoto Harbour. In the initial phase, the area will be used for pre-installation services, assembly, and storage of offshore wind turbines.
"There are several significant offshore wind power investments planned for the Gulf of Bothnia. Our goal is to build a competence hub that serves wind power projects in the region, both in Finland and Sweden. We already have one offshore wind park in operation, giving us a head start compared to competitors. We aim to develop Pori as a pioneer in clean energy solutions," highlighted Lauri Kilkku, CEO of Suisto Kiinteistö.
According to the Confederation of Finnish Industries, the total value of planned offshore wind power investments in Finland exceeds €42b. Within a radius of 400 km from Pori, 15 larger wind power projects have been announced.
Seppo Ihalainen, heading Suisto Kiinteistöt, also underscored, "The principles in green transition projects are similar to those in developing digital infrastructure. Expertise is crucial, and it is necessary to build strong ecosystems. Wind power expertise and port development provide a solid foundation for industrial investments related to solar power and green hydrogen production."
Enersense is already constructing technically demanding foundations for offshore wind turbines in Mäntyluoto. Suomen Hyötytuuli and the Port of Pori have agreed to build a gravel loading dock at the Tahkoluoto Harbour to serve the construction of wind turbine foundations.
Photo: WindEurope