Finnish state-owned enterprise Metsahallitus is starting tenders for two offshore wind projects with a combined planned capacity of 3 GW after the government on Thursday adopted a resolution on launching the auction procedure for five projects.
The sites are located in public water areas managed by Metsahallitus in the regions of Ostrobothnia and North Ostrobothnia and will be auctioned under the model developed in 2021, the government said.
Tenders for two areas, Pyhajoki/Raahe and Narpes, will be launched this year, while the process for the three other areas, Siikajoki/Hailuoto, Raahe/Siikajoki and Kristinestad, will be confirmed in 2024. Together the five sites can host about 7.5 GW of capacity.
Metsahallitus expects to complete the tendering process for the projects located off Narpio and off Pyhajoki and Raahe, called Edith and Ebba, respectively, in about a year.
The partners it will select will purchase the rights for the offshore wind projects, lease the offshore areas and build the power plants. The estimated total investment in delivering the two projects is between EUR 6 billion (USD 6.5bn) and EUR 8 billion. They would be able to generate up to 14 TWh a year, meeting more than 17% of Finland’s current electricity consumption.
“Offshore wind power can significantly increase renewable and emission-free electricity production in Finland. The projects will promote the clean transition and create a completely new sector in Finland […],” commented Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah.
(EUR 1 = USD 1.090)
Source: renewablesnow
