Wpd Scandinavia is now awaiting a permit for the cable connection to shore. Project manager Hans Ohlsson at wpd Scandinavia said that if it gets this, construction of the project could start in 2014.
The project is to have 53 wind turbines and a capacity of up to 265MW, depending on the output capacity of the turbines that are used.
"We have not yet made a decision regarding the [turbine] manufacturer," Ohlsson said. "With a view to site conditions, we’d prefer a relatively large turbine standing 120 metres or higher, up to the allowed 180 metres in the permit, in combination with a more modest generator capacity of around 3 MW," he said.
Depending on the hub height "we expect the wind speed to be between 8m/s and 8,3 m/s," he added. After its investigations, the company does not expect problems with ice, and wave height is "quite modest." Availability of the turbines in terms of operational hours per year "should therefore be better than projects in the North Sea," he said.
The wind farm is to be located in an area of shallow water about 11 kilometers from the Swedish mainland, southeast of Söderhamn.
The area is covered by the Söderhamn municipality "master plan" and is identified as of national interest for wind use, according to wpd. Once in operation, the station is expected to generate to 0.8TWh annually, equivalent to the electricity needs of 160, 000 households.
