The Swedish army has obtained the cancellation of 13 wind farms in the Baltic Sea on national security grounds.
For Sweden, it’s safety first
The decision to block these wind projects is motivated by the impact they could have on Sweden’s defense systems, particularly the detection of threats in the Baltic Sea. The turbines, by their size and movements, interfere with radars and underwater sensors, disrupting military surveillance. For Romina Pourmokhtari, Minister of the Environment, this impact is “unacceptable”, especially in the current context of tensions with Russia. Pål Jonson, Minister of Defense, specifies at a press conference that the proximity of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, highly militarized, weighed heavily in the balance.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, tensions around the Baltic Sea have intensified. Stockholm, neutral for more than a century, joined NATO, upending its strategic priorities. The Baltic Sea has become a nerve center, where the interests of the Atlantic Alliance clash with the ambitions of Moscow. “ Russia poses a threat to Sweden and NATO “, insisted Jonson, adding that NATO membership responds to this pressing need for defense. Some experts believe that these wind farms would have exposed Sweden to additional risks of sabotage, as security expert Marion Messmer pointed out.
Energy challenge: the consequences of the Swedish choice
Sweden is not ignoring its growing energy needs. The abandoned projects represented a capacity of 140 terawatt hours, equivalent to the country’s current demand. The development of renewable energies remains vital for Stockholm, which plans to double its electricity consumption by 2045. If offshore wind farms are slowed down, Sweden is counting on nuclear power. The government is aiming to build new reactors to achieve its climate and security objectives.
The Baltic Sea, rich in steady winds and shallow seabed, could have made Sweden a leader in offshore wind energy. However, the priority given to defense highlights a profound dilemma: guarantee national security or accelerate the ecological transition.
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