The Västvind offshore wind project has cleared an important step in Sweden’s permitting process after the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland recommended that the government approve the part of the development located in Sweden’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The recommendation covers only part of the proposed project area. In its review, the authority pointed to western Sweden’s need for additional electricity supply, while also removing a substantial section of the site because of shipping safety distance requirements. It added that a wider area could be considered in the future if the regulatory framework for shipping changes.
The section of Västvind located in Swedish territorial waters is being reviewed separately by the Land and Environment Court. The final decision on whether the offshore wind farm can move ahead will be taken by the Swedish government.
For developer Eolus, the latest recommendation keeps the project in play but also underlines the need to resolve how offshore power generation and maritime traffic can operate alongside each other in the same waters. The company has said that further progress will depend on constructive solutions that allow coexistence between the energy and shipping sectors.
The permitting process has been underway since 2023, when Eolus submitted applications to both the government and the Land and Environment Court because the site extends across both the EEZ and territorial waters.
As planned, Västvind would include up to 50 turbines with an installed capacity of about 1 GW. Expected annual output is estimated at around 4–4.5 TWh. The project is proposed off Öckerö and Kungälv, west of Gothenburg, with construction targeted to begin around 2027 and commissioning planned by the end of the decade, subject to permit approval.
