Estonian Energy Company Developing 1.2 GW Offshore Wind Farm

Estonian energy group Utilitas is developing an offshore wind project whose first phase would have an installed capacity of 1,200 MW and has now contracted Ramboll to a pre-FEED study for the offshore wind farm, which is planned to be built in the Gulf of Riga.

Ramboll will analyse the technical solutions for the project, named Saare-Liivi, as part of the study that will confirm the technical and economic feasibility of the offshore wind farm and support the environmental impact assessment process.

Surveys were already carried out at the Saare-Liivi offshore wind site at the beginning of September to identify sediment types and structures.

“As the first year of environmental studies will soon be completed, it is the right moment to move forward with the development of technical solutions and identify the most optimal wind turbine generators and foundation types for the offshore wind farm, taking into account the preliminary information from the environmental studies”, said Liisa Mällo, Offshore Wind Development Manager at Utilitas Wind.

Under the contract with Utilitas, due to be completed by January 2023, Ramboll will identify the most suitable wind turbines, foundation types, logistic solutions, port logistics, and other technical solutions.

In addition to the wind farm’s technical solutions, the Danish engineering and consultancy company will also propose a concept for the electrical solution, including the location and technical parameters of the cables, as well as the location and size of the substations.

Since ports will also play an essential role in developing the offshore wind farm, Ramboll will also analyse the logistics of construction, as well as the possible alternatives for the construction and operation, and maintenance.

The pre-FEED study will also include economic figures and cost projections.

Suitable areas for offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Riga were defined in the regional plan for the maritime area bordering Pärnu County, adopted in 2017.

Utilitas submitted a building permit application for the Saare-Liivi offshore wind farm in 2021 and the Consumer Protection and Technical Supervision Agency (CPTRA), which manages the state consent process, initiated the building permit procedure at the end of the last year. 

The company aims to obtain the necessary permits for construction in 2025 and to have the Saare-Liivi offshore wind farm producing electricity by 2028, at the latest.

In the first phase of the development, Utilitas plans to install around 80 wind turbines with a total capacity of 1,200 MW and an expected annual electricity production of more than 5 TWh, in accordance with the technical conditions issued by the transmission system operator.

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