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The County Administrative Board of Gotland has granted a Natura 2000 permit for the 5.5 GW Aurora offshore wind farm in Sweden, being developed by OX2 and the investment arm of IKEA parent, Ingka Group.
When granting the project Natura 2000 permit, the County Administrative Board agrees with other authorities that the wind farm can be realised without harming species worthy of protection, said OX2.
The Natura 2000 permit, for which the developer applied in 2022, is one of several permits that need to be in place. The next step is for the County Administrative Board to propose to the government that the project can be built according to the Act of Sweden’s exclusive economic zone.
If the government approves, construction could commence by 2028 and production could start before 2030.
The Aurora offshore wind farm is situated about 22 kilometres south of Gotland and more than 30 kilometres east of Öland in the Baltic Sea.
The project is planned to feature up to 370 wind turbines and could produce up to 24 TWh if the entire area is constructed.
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“Aurora is a wind farm that can really make a real difference and act as a motor in the net zero transition in the southern parts of Sweden,” said Emelie Zakrisson , Head of Development of Offshore Wind in Sweden, OX2.
“Export cables from the farm are planned to go to the mainland but also directly to Gotland. The large-scale production from Aurora would facilitate for more local electricity production to be developed as well as hydrogen production to help decarbonize industry and heavy transports.”
According to OX2, the Baltic Sea is also an area of importance for the Swedish Armed Forces, and with the help of sensors on the turbines, the wind farm could assist with surveillance and control in the area.
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