Sweden's Eurowind wins environmental court approval for Lillgrund

Sweden's Eurowind has won environmental court approval for its offshore plant at Lillgrund in the strait between Sweden and Denmark. The company is already raising finance for the SEK 1.3 billion project. Eurowind initially applied for permission in 2001 via its subsidiary, Örestads Vindpark, but local opposition has delayed construction despite early authority approval. The initial plans for Lillgrund call for up to 48 turbines producing around 400 GWh a year. "We haven't started the process for tenders yet," says Eurowind's Magnus Rosenbäck. But with all government approvals in place, "We are positive the project will go ahead and we are confident that we can begin building next year."