Finland tenders four offshore wind areas and sets new rules

Finland plans to put four offshore wind areas in the Bothnian Sea and Bay of Bothnia up for tender and introduce new rules for building and dismantling wind farms, Yle reports. The government says the changes are intended to clarify requirements and make the operating environment more predictable for projects.

The four areas are Bothnian Sea West, Bothnian Sea East, Bay of Bothnia South and Bay of Bothnia North. Bay of Bothnia South, off Luoto, Pietarsaari and Uusikaarlepyy, will be tendered first. The other three areas will follow later.

Bay of Bothnia North is off Raahe, Siikajoki and Hailuoto. Bothnian Sea East is off Merikarvia and northern Pori, while Bothnian Sea West lies near Swedish territorial waters, about 80 kilometres west of the coast between Kristiinankaupunki and Merikarvia.

The Energy Authority could begin the first tender in the first half of 2027 at the earliest. A developer selected for an area can apply to the government for a permit granting the right to use it, carry out detailed surveys at sea and seek other necessary approvals. The winner will be chosen based equally on the price offered and specified quality criteria.

The model does not include state aid, and the development process is lengthy: electricity production could begin 10 to 15 years after a tender. Environment and Climate Minister Sari Multala said it was worth starting work now, even though offshore wind power in Finland’s exclusive economic zone is not yet commercially viable. She said offshore wind conditions are steady and could provide more stable electricity production than onshore wind in the future.

Environmental impact assessments for plans and programmes, as well as a Natura screening, have been completed for the area decisions. Developers will carry out more detailed environmental studies later.

The government has also proposed changes to the Water Act covering construction, dismantling and financial guarantees for decommissioning offshore wind farms. Construction in the exclusive economic zone would have to meet certain durability and safety requirements, which would be handled through the water permit process. The decommissioning rules would also apply to offshore wind farms in territorial waters.

As a rule, a wind farm must be dismantled completely when operations end. The permitting and supervisory authority could, however, assess case by case how much of structures at seabed level must be removed. Building up the decommissioning guarantee mainly after production begins would reduce financing costs and help prevent the costs of dismantling from falling on the public. The proposed law is due to take effect in spring 2027.