Van Oord has partnered with an Estonian developer to develop an offshore wind farm in the country.
Saare Wind Energy and Van Oord will work together on the Saaremaa offshore wind farm, covering 154km2, south-west of the Estonian island of Saaremaa. The project includes the installation of 100 offshore wind turbines.
“The parties are convinced that the combined knowledge base will facilitate a successful development of the project,” said Van Oord. The discussions that lead to the agreement were supported by the Estonian Investment Agency.
2015 inception
Saare Wind Energy started the project in 2015. The next phase in the development process includes the Environmental Impact Assessment.
Van Oord and Saare Wind Energy intend to increase cooperation with local and national Estonian stakeholders, as this is a precondition for the upcoming permit process and the subsequent construction of the project.
The Saaremaa site offers an excellent opportunity for the construction of an offshore wind farm because of its location in the Baltic Sea in relation to the main wind direction. The offshore wind farm can act as a foothold for the development of an international Baltic Grid.
Construction is scheduled to be completed by early 2022.
By Rebecca Jeffrey