Sweden’s government has announced the suspension of the construction of 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea, following claims from the military that these projects could hinder national defense capabilities.
During a press conference, Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari explained that the permits for the proposed wind farms were denied due to their potential to “negatively impact defense interests in an unacceptable manner.”
All 13 projects were set to be located near NATO’s newest member’s southeastern coast in the Baltic Sea, directly across from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
This decision comes in light of a study conducted by the Swedish Armed Forces, released by public broadcaster SVT last week, which indicated that the wind farms could significantly interfere with military sensors.
“In the current security situation that Sweden faces, defense interests must be prioritized,” Defence Minister Pål Jonson remarked to reporters.
Mr. Jonson highlighted that offshore wind installations in the region might disrupt military radar systems and reduce the alert time for detecting incoming cruise missiles from two minutes to just 60 seconds.
“One lesson learned from Ukraine is that Russia employs various long-range weapon systems, including cruise and ballistic missiles,” Mr. Jonson added.
The Industry Association for Wind Power in Sweden called the decision “unexpected.”
“It is concerning that the government has outright closed an entire area to potential energy production without conducting a comprehensive overall assessment,” the association stated in a release.
Mr. Jonson mentioned that regions off Sweden’s southwestern and northeastern coasts are more appropriate for offshore wind energy initiatives.
Kaliningrad
The minister remarked that the proximity to the “highly militarized” Kaliningrad area was a “key factor in the evaluation.”
Tensions in the region have escalated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In late October, NATO inaugurated a new naval base in Rostock, Germany, aimed at coordinating the military forces of alliance members in the region.
The day following the inauguration, Russia summoned the German ambassador to Moscow to express its opposition to the new naval command center.
Russia termed the center a “blatant violation” of the 1990 treaty on German reunification, which stated that no foreign armed forces would be stationed in the area, a claim that Germany refuted.
In response to the Ukraine invasion, Sweden and Finland abandoned decades of military non-alignment to join the US-led military alliance.
The Baltic Sea is now encircled by NATO members, with some analysts referring to it as a NATO lake.
Mr. Jonson emphasized that Sweden holds a “special responsibility” as a member of the alliance regarding the Baltic Sea, where the country possesses unique capabilities that are vital to the entire alliance.
At the same time, the demand for renewable energy sources remains a high priority on the agenda.
A government memo reviewed by AFP emphasized that other nations have developed solutions for offshore wind energy, such as deploying specialized “gap-filling radars” around the wind farms.
However, it noted that Sweden’s geographical considerations necessitate distinct trade-offs.
The same memo also acknowledged the urgent need for increased energy production, as electricity demand in Sweden is projected to more than double by 2045.
The government reiterated that expanding wind power remains a priority and announced approval for an offshore wind power park off Sweden’s west coast.
The Poseidon wind power park will utilize floating wind turbines, capable of generating up to 5.5 TWh of energy annually.
Additionally, another 10 proposed offshore wind power parks are currently under government consideration.
