The decision to delay the construction of offshore wind power in Finland’s economic zone has drawn criticism from some players in the wind power industry. The government chose not to grant exclusive rights for the construction of offshore wind power in the region, despite receiving applications from 11 companies for 16 areas in the Gulf of Pohjanlahti. This decision means that the areas will not be reserved for specific companies for a fixed period of time.
The Ministry of Labor and Economy explained that the purpose of this decision is to clarify the rules surrounding the construction of wind power in the economic zone. There is currently no regulation in place regarding taxation of wind power construction or how offshore wind power areas are divided. The government is in favor of offshore wind power projects and has a goal to promote their construction in the Baltic Sea. However, the wider impact of such projects on areas like shipping must be considered.
A new law on offshore wind power in the economic zone is being prepared by the Ministry of Labor and Economy. This law aims to create rules for selecting operators for specific sea areas through a tendering process. Exclusive rights to use these areas will be decided through this process. The law is expected to enter into force by the end of the year, with the first wind power projects being selected in 2025 and potentially operational in the early 2030s.
Some companies, like Finland’s utility wind and the Swedish OX2, expressed concerns about the delay in their offshore wind projects due to this decision. The industry’s interest organization, Suomen Tuulivoimayhdistys, also highlighted the impact of the decision on the development of offshore wind power projects. Overall, the government’s aims to regulate the process of selecting operators for offshore wind power projects to ensure a balanced and organized approach to their construction.