Finland’s Economic Zone Delays Offshore Wind Power Construction: A Setback for Industry and Future Development?

Offshore wind power projects in Finland’s economic zone have been met with criticism from some players in the industry regarding the government’s decision to delay their construction. The government has chosen not to grant exclusive rights to Finland’s economic zone for the development of offshore wind power, which had been requested by 11 companies that had applied for exploitation rights for 16 areas in the Gulf of Pohjanlahti.

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 decision does not prevent the construction of wind power projects in these regions. The government’s aim is 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, noted 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.

Finland’s utility wind raised concerns about how this decision would negatively impact their offshore wind projects and emphasized that there was significant offshore wind power potential in Finland’s economic zone. They highlighted a need for a controlled approach to bringing project areas to market. OX2 also expressed worry that their projects would be delayed but hoped for minimal disruption to their timeline.

Suomen Tuulivoimayhdistys echoed these concerns and stated that this decision would slow down the development of offshore wind power projects in Finland’s economic zone, raising expectations high for future tenders and new legislation on this topic. The decision to delay construction was seen as a setback by many players in