1 GW Estonian Offshore Wind Project Moves Forward

January 3, 2024, by Adnan Memija

The Estonian Ministry of Climate has approved the report on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the North-Western Estonian (Hiiu) offshore wind farm being developed by Enefit Green.

The North-Western Estonian offshore wind farm is planned to have a capacity of 1 GW and can accommodate up to 60 wind turbines.

The wind farm’s annual electricity production is approximately 4 TWh and the project could begin operation in the 2030s, at the earliest, Enefit Green said.

According to Hendrik Puhkim, the EIA chief expert, the main conclusion of the EIA, carried out by Skepast and Puhkim OÜ, is that the offshore wind farm does not have significant negative effects on the natural and human environment.

“The assessment of the environmental impact of the North West Estonian offshore wind farm began already in 2006. During this time, a number of studies have been carried out to clarify the possible environmental impacts associated with the establishment of the wind farm and the measures needed to mitigate them,” said Karmo Kõrvek, development manager of Offshore Wind Power at Enefit Green.

“For example, during the feeding period of seals and spawning periods of fish, construction work must not be carried out.”

Puhkim also added that “it was necessary to find a compromise between different areas and stakeholders in order to get a result“.

“The EIA provided a series of conditions that reduce and mitigate the environmental impact, which must be observed both during the construction and during the operation phase of the wind farm. More than 20 professionals from Estonia and abroad were involved in the EIA expert group,” Puhkim said.

In March 2023, Enefit Green acquired the 1 GW Liivi offshore wind project from Eesti Energia for nearly EUR 6.2 million. The wind farm is located ten kilometres off the island of Kihnu in the Estonian part of the Gulf of Riga.