Electricity production far out at sea
The Sea. The perfect place for wind power.
Far out at sea, the winds blow strong and evenly, making it the perfect place for wind power. Establishing wind power out there would provide Sweden with an endless source of fossil-free, stable, and large-scale energy production, which is pivotal in reaching the global environmental goals (SDG:s). Another advantage of wind power far offshore is that they lie beyond the horizon, making the turbines hardly visible from the mainland.
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As wind power parks are located far out at sea, in our projects that is at least 25 kilometers, the disturbance from the park is minimal. It is not possible to hear them and usually you cannot see them at all, or sometimes just about visible on the horizon. Read more about what conditions impact visibility. (NOTE: The link leads to a website in Swedish)
As winds are stronger and more even, far out at sea, the energy production is higher and more predictable. Furthermore, out at sea, the turbines can be both taller and bigger, which allows for an even higher production of energy.
Thanks to new technology with floating turbines, wind power parks are not dependent on the depth or the conditions at the bottom of the sea. They can be placed wherever the conditions are most favorable.
One single sea based turbine can generate as much fossil free energy as three to four land based turbines.
Wind power parks, both on land and at sea, have the least total environmental impact of all renewable forms of energy.
Many experts foresee that sea based wind power has the best growth potential in the future.
A blue transition is needed to achieve green energy goals
By 2045, Sweden must have net zero carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, the annual consumption of electricity is estimated to rise from 150 TWh to approx. 300 TWh. That is quite a challenge! However, with 1,160 Swedish miles of coastline, (over 700 US miles) Sweden offers unique opportunities for offshore wind power. This is a vital resource if Sweden is to manage the energy transition.
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The goal of the European Union’s climate strategy is that the emission of greenhouse gases must decrease by at least 55 percent by 2030, compared to the levels in 1990.
Sweden faces several challenges. The country’s consumption of electricity is estimated to increase by more than 50 percent up until 2045. At the same time, Sweden’s electricity production facilities are old and need to be updated or replaced. 100 TWh, which represents 70 percent of today’s electricity consumption, needs to be replaced by 2040!
However, this will probably not be sufficient. Based on the latest plans (NOTE: The link leads to a website in Swedish) for the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic and the West Sea (February 2022), The Swedish government has asked The Swedish Energy Agency and other authorities to pinpoint suitable locations to enable production of another 90 TWh at sea, adding to the existing plans today. This would mean a total of 120 TWh of offshore electricity, which is almost as much as Sweden’s entire annual consumption of electricity.
All in all, this means that large scale offshore wind power will constitute a very important source of energy, if Sweden is to reach both production and environmental goals.
Sustainability
Fossil-free and renewable energy that is kind to nature
Offshore wind power is a renewable and fossil-free source of energy, which neither releases toxic substances nor greenhouse gases. By placing the turbines at carefully selected locations far out at sea, the environmental impact becomes minimal. Our coastal waters are home to essential ecosystems and our view is that these ecosystems must not only be preserved in their current state but also be restored and protected. Freja Offshore's ambition is that our projects shall contribute to a stronger, more resilient, and species-rich ecosystem where we operate.
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We are fully aware that our projects have an impact on the sea and on wildlife as well as on the people who use and earn their livelihood from the sea. Therefore, we have formed a network of experts who carry out extensive surveys on all kinds of impact our wind power parks could possibly have on the environment.
Read more about the impact on the marine environment on The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s website.
We continuously improve the design of our projects to minimize the impact on the environment. Wildlife, plants and people must all be able to co-exist. However, we set the bar even higher. Our aim is that our offshore wind power parks will in fact contribute to biodiversity and favor the existing species. Our ambition is to leave nature and the local environment in an improved condition, compared to when we started.
There are even positive effects on the marine wildlife and plant life. Several species of fish appreciate ’roofs’ and studies show that offshore wind power parks can act as artificial reefs and protected marine areas.
This increases the amount of fish and seafood and in turn the access to prey. Algae and other marine vegetation grow well on the chains which anchor the wind turbines to the bottom of the sea.
Financial strength to the local community
Establishing and running wind power parks at sea has a positive ripple effect. Not least when it comes to work opportunities. Studies show that as many as 50,000 to 165,000 new full-time jobs may be created. There are several other positive side effects, too:
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Apart from the apparent work opportunities which the offshore wind power parks create, there are also indirect effects. The people who work with and in the wind power parks need food, accommodation and other services, which in turn creates even more job opportunities.
A major extension of wind power also means that both the regional and the backbone networks are strengthened. Access to stable, renewable electricity increases and brings favorable conditions for establishing and developing new industries in the region.
During the past years, we have seen the cost of electricity in Sweden sky-rocket, particularly in the southern regions. Most forecasts predict a continued high and unstable price. According to the simulations carried out by Energiforsk, an additional 1 GW of electricity would cut the price by approximately 160–220 SEK/MWh. Further additions would cut the price even more. Sweden’s offshore wind power parks produce 1,5–2 GW.
Freja Offshore wants to play an active role to help the local community benefit from the opportunities which are created around our offshore wind power parks. Among other things, we plan to start collaborations with local enterprises, suppliers and schools to be able to find the right type of competence.
Offshore wind power is an investment in the future and there will be a great need for competent team members. We can and want to attract new talent to the communities and regions where we are active.
Apart from new job opportunities, the extension of Swedish offshore wind power parks is also estimated to generate corporate tax revenue of approximately 20 billion SEK, up until 2050.
Our project
Freja Offshore is currently developing one offshore wind power park in Swedish waters – Mareld.
Mareld is one of Sweden's most ambitious offshore wind projects. Once completed, it will deliver renewable electricity equivalent to two-thirds of Västra Götaland's current electricity consumption — a significant contribution to the region's green transition.
Mareld will be located approx. 40 kilometers west of the island of Orust, within the Swedish economic zone.
This location far out at sea will allow Mareld to produce large and reliable amounts of renewable energy. Fully developed, Mareld is estimated to deliver 12Twh annually, which corresponds to two-thirds of the demand for electricity in the region of Västra Götaland.
The project has been developed in dialogue with both local and national stakeholders. Public consultations have been conducted with a focus on environmental impact, and permit applications have been submitted. Mareld is now awaiting the government's decision to take the next step.
> The wind power project
> Consultation document
> Appendix Mareld
Before Freja Offshore was established, Hexicon handled the application processes, which is why it says Hexicon in the documentation.
Archived Projects
Freja Offshore previously developed three other projects, which are currently paused: Dyning, Kultje, and Cirrus. This is due to the government's announcement on November 4 2024, that 13 offshore wind power projects in the Baltic Sea are being halted for security policy reasons. We are preparing the projects to be ready for a potential future change regarding offshore wind power in the Baltic Sea.
Freja Offshore – Wind power far out at sea
Freja Offshore is a joint venture between Mainstream Renewable Power and Hexicon AB.
With an extensive experience in offshore projects in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and around the world, we intend to keep developing Swedish wind power offshore. Our ambition is to enable a sustainable energy transition towards a fossil-free and climate-neutral Sweden.
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Floating wind power is precisely that - wind turbines on floating platforms at sea. As supposed to turbines anchored at depths up to only 60 meters, floating wind power turbines can be installed at a depth of 40 up to 1,000 meters. That’s why they can be placed out at sea, where the winds are stronger and more even.
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By 2045, Sweden must reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time the consumption of energy is estimated to rise by over 50 percent. As if that challenge isn’t enough, Sweden’s electricity production facilities are old and need to be updated or replaced. 100 TWh which is 70 percent of today’s electricity consumption needs to be replaced by 2040!
However, with 1,160 Swedish miles of coastline, (over 700 US miles) Sweden offers unique opportunities for highly effective wind power offshore with minimal environmental impact. Floating wind power off shore is the only renewable source of energy of the relevant magnitude to answer to the energy challenges which Sweden faces.
Based on the latest plans for the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic and the West Sea (February 2022), the Swedish government has asked The Swedish Energy Agency and other authorities to pinpoint suitable locations to enable production of another 90 TWh at sea, adding to the existing plans today. This would mean a total of 120 TWh of offshore electricity, which is almost equivalent to Sweden’s entire annual consumption of electricity.
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The conditions out at sea are much more favorable than on land, as they offer stronger and more even winds. Also, it is possible to use higher turbines out at sea. One single sea based turbine can generate as much energy as three to four land turbines.
Offshore wind power parks bring minimal disturbance as they are placed far out at sea. It is not possible to hear them and they are usually not visible. Sometimes you can just about perceive them on the horizon.
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Freja’s projects have been located to minimize the visual impact and the impact on the environment. The turbines are to be placed between 20 and 50 kilometers from the coast.
Under favorable conditions without mist or fog, the offshore wind power parks can be seen from land. The visibility varies depending on the distance, the weather conditions and the available light.
To be able to give an accurate image and perception of how visible our offshore wind power parks will be, we create visualizations, as part of our consultation documents and our descriptions of the environmental impact.
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The sound from the turbines is often a source of concern. But how noisy is a wind power park really? To get an idea, it is useful to compare the noise with that of domestic gadgets. Below is an illustration of the sound from a turbine, presented by the turbine manufacturer GE. The visualization is based on data from NIDCD, which is part of the American National Institute of Health.
How loud is a wind turbine?
From a distance of 300 meters, a land-based wind turbine has a level of 43 decibels. This can be compared to the 50 decibels of an average air condition indoors or 40 decibels for most fridges.From a distance of 500 meters, the level goes down to 38 decibels. In quieter areas, for example rural areas, background levels reach 30 decibels on average. On that level, it would not be possible to hear a wind turbine located 1.5 kilometers away.
From an acoustic point of view, water is hard, which means that sound waves are reflected and travel very efficiently across a surface of water. In other words, sound travels further across water than across land. For example, the sound from a 15 megawatts turbine can be heard at 35 decibels, from a distance of 300 meters on land. Across water, the same level would be audible from 2 kilometers.
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The offshore wind power parks will have an impact on the coastal areas in various ways:
• A connection to land through an underwater cable and cables connecting to the land based substation.
• An operation and maintenance base to serve the wind power park at sea.
• Increased traffic of goods during the installation phase.
The first two parts of the project are included in the planning process and are carried out to minimize the disturbance on land, at the same time as maximizing the potential to the local supply chain.
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Every single activity in the marine environment has the potential of impacting seabirds and other marine wildlife. Offshore wind power on a large scale is still in the bud in Swedish waters, but there is more than 20 years’ experience from other European countries to learn from.
The projects are designed to minimize the impact on the marine environment and they align with international best practice, which has been established after years of observations, surveys and research. The projects undergo a complete environmental impact assessment. If there are any environmental risks, we carry out proven mitigation measures.
Studies show that wind power parks can act as artificial reefs and protected marine areas. This increases the amount of fish and seafood and in turn the access to prey.
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No, the development of each project includes a specific archeological risk assessment with the support of geophysical investigation techniques to identify ship wrecks. When a shipwreck database has been established for a specific location, the project will be adapted to avoid any areas of archeological importance.
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Currently, an offshore wind power park has a life expectancy of approx. 30 years, depending on the model as well as weather and sea conditions.
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The power of the wind makes the rotor blades of the turbine rotate which creates large amounts of electricity. The electricity is then transmitted to land via an underwater cable. It can be used in households, for enterprises and transportation around the country, or even be exported abroad.
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There are several types of technology available for floating turbines. The floating units are anchored to the bottom of the sea via mooring arrangements tied to several different anchor points. The mooring and anchoring system is designed to resist the impact of waves in the surrounding environment and keep the floating installation safely in place.
Example of a concept for platform structure with anchoring: barge, semi-submersible, mast buoy, TLP (Tension Leg Platform).
Example of an anchoring concept, from left: drag anchor, suction anchor, pile anchor, gravitation anchor and torpedo anchor. -
Offshore wind power turbines are designed, built and run within the limits of extreme weather conditions. When the winds are very strong, the rotor blades can, for example, be slowed down to prevent a critically high speed of the rotor blades.
Sensors which are mounted at the top of the turbines, control the wind continuously. With very strong winds, the turbine can be turned off to protect it from damages. However, extreme weather conditions are rare in Sweden. Historical wind data along the Swedish coast, shows that theoretically wind power parks generate energy 90 percent of the time, based on satellite data.
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We engage with local fishing communities at an early stage during each project, to ensure that the impact on fishing will be minimal. The parks are designed and established in a way to minimize their impact. Our priority is to avoid an interruption in the work of fishermen.
Offshore wind power parks create positive effects as they serve as rejuvenation surfaces for different species of fish. Studies show that several fish species increase in number close to the wind power parks. This is because the foundations of the turbines create a so-called rev-effect where the fish can find both food and protection.
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We expect our projects to have great potential in creating local work opportunities within all phases of the project, and that they will also have an overall positive effect on the local community. Studies shows that offshore wind power can create 50,000 to 165,000 full-time jobs in Sweden between 2025 and 2050.
Most of the work opportunities will be created during the construction and operation phases of the projects. Large teams will be needed to serve the turbines on a daily basis. These work opportunities are long-term (up to 30 years); they are permanent and largely local.
Professional expertise needed includes dock workers, crane operators, ship operators (service and tugboats) as well as wind power and service technicians. Indirect work opportunities within areas such as transportation, food and accommodation will also be created.
We support recruiting locally, which includes collaborating with the fishing industry to explore the opportunities for future employment. We encourage local collaborations in our supply chain.
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Studies shows that offshore wind power can create 1,500 to 4,000 full-time work opportunities in Sweden in 2030, and up to 10,000 in 2050. In total, offshore wind power is estimated to bring about 165,000 full-time work opportunities during the period 2025–2050, including both direct and indirect jobs within the domestic supply chain.
Access the study here.
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We firmly believe in collaborating with local enterprises and will therefore actively encourage and prioritize local supply chains, when possible. Our philosophy is to develop and care for the local supply chains, through a strategy of a step-by-step springboard, where local suppliers and communities can grow alongside the phases of the projects. This springboard strategy will enable us to maximize the value of the projects for the local community.
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Please do not hesitate to contact us here if you have further questions.