Sweden: Cancellation of 13 wind farm projects in the Baltic Sea due to air defense radar interference

The construction permits for these offshore wind farms were withdrawn because they would have an “unacceptable impact”. Sweden defense, Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari explained at a press conference.

The decision follows a study conducted by the Swedish Armed Forces, released last Friday by public broadcaster SVT, which found that these wind farm projects could significantly disrupt Swedish defense sensors in the Baltic Sea. The towers and rotating blades of the turbines interfere with radar systems and cause additional disturbances underwater.

In light of the “serious security situation that Sweden is currently facing”, defense priorities must take priority, Defense Minister Pål Jonson emphasized at the press conference.

Had the 13 offshore wind farms remained, they would have reduced the response time for detecting missile attacks from Russia from two minutes to one, Jonson clarified. He added that the proximity to the “heavily militarized” Russian enclave of Kaliningrad was a “key factor” in the government’s decision.

Regional tensions have escalated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A new NATO military base was recently established in Rostock, northern Germany, aimed at coordinating member states’ armed forces in the region in response to Russia. While renewable energy remains a priority, Swedish electricity consumption is expected to reach at least 300 terawatt hours (TWh) by 2045, double current levels, according to a memorandum reviewed by AFP.