The delay in the construction of offshore wind power in Finland’s economic zone has sparked criticism from some players in the wind power industry. Despite receiving applications from 11 companies for 16 areas in the Gulf of Pohjanlahti, the government did not grant exclusive rights for their construction. This decision means that these areas will not be reserved for specific companies for a fixed period of time.
The Ministry of Labor and Economy explained that this decision was made to clarify the rules surrounding the construction of wind power in the economic zone. Currently, there are no regulations regarding taxation of wind power construction or how offshore wind power areas are divided. The government is supportive of offshore wind power projects and aims to promote their construction in the Baltic Sea. However, it is important to consider the wider impact of such projects on areas like shipping.
In response to this delay, some companies like Finland’s utility wind and Swedish OX2 have expressed concerns about its effect on their offshore wind projects. Suomen Tuulivoimayhdistys, an industry interest organization, also highlighted this issue’s impact on the development of offshore wind power projects. Nevertheless, the government aims to regulate the process of selecting operators for offshore wind power projects through a tendering process, which will decide exclusive rights to use these areas. The new law on offshore wind power in the economic zone is expected to enter into force by the end of this year, with potentially operational projects selected in 2025 or early 2030s.
