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Bothnia wind project could generate up to 4GW of renewable energy
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) programme for Ilmatars Bothnia offshore wind project in Finland, which could generate up to 4GW, has been launched.
The EIA work is being carried out in cooperation with Ramboll Finland.
Ilmatars Bothnia project is located in the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and is divided into two sub-areas, Bothnia and Bothnia West.
Under the plans, Bothnia is now about half its original size, and Bothnia West has been reduced by about 40%.
Jori Sihvonen, Ilmatars offshore project manager for the EEZ, said: "At this stage, we have chosen to proceed on areas with minimal overlap with other interests, such as shipping and fishing.
"We have also considered the depth conditions; the optimised project areas have a depth between 40 and 120 metres."
Anna Häger, regional manager at Ilmatar, added: "This is the nature of the EIA process – you start big, and after thorough investigations, we end up with an optimised result since we have a better overview of a previously uncharted sea area and its surroundings.
"As an energy producer, we see this as an expected development. Future clean energy production needs to be built responsibly. Thanks to our strong environmental legislation, the Nordics is an optimal place to do this."
Despite the optimisation, Bothnia remains one of Finlands largest offshore wind projects.
Together, the two areas cover nearly 1.200 km2 and have a potential energy production capacity of 4GW.
With the launch of the EIA programme, the Bothnia project now enters its consultation phase, where the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) in Southwest Finland accepts statements and views from stakeholders, other authorities and the public.
Open scoping consultations are organised in Rauma, Kristiinankaupunki and online.
The deadline for submitting comments is 14 June 2024. |
