Van Oord has become a shareholder in Saare Wind Energy.

Saare Wind Energy is building an offshore wind farm in Saaremaa, Estonia. The partnership with Van Oord enables Saare Wind Energy to step up the planning process for this offshore wind farm, as financial support and expertise are combined.

Saare Wind Energy is developing an area of up to 200 square kilometers southwest of the Estonian island of Saarema. The region could allow an offshore wind farm of more than 1,000 MW.

The construction of the wind farm began in 2015. In May 2020 the Estonian Government agreed that Saare Wind Energy should proceed with the location permit procedure and the related environmental impact assessment.

In January 2020, Saare Wind Energy and Van Ord agreed to collaborate on the Saaremaa offshore wind farm project. The Netherlands Embassy in Tallinn and the Estonian Investment Agency have funded this partnership project.

In September 2020, the Energy Ministers of Poland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany and Sweden, along with members of the European Commission, signed the ‘Baltic Declaration on offshore wind energy’.

Joint declaration on the development of offshore wind power and efficient electricity networks to promote the transition of renewable energy to the Baltic Sea countries. The declaration is intended to bring about cooperation in the production of offshore wind power in the Baltic Sea.

Hybrid ventures, offshore wind farms in conjunction with interconnectors to neighboring countries, will become the main focal points for the growth of this offshore electricity infrastructure. This marks a shift in offshore wind from separate offshore wind farms to meshed offshore grids and energy hubs.

The offshore wind farm in Saaremaa provides a rare opportunity for such a hybrid venture. The combination of good wind resources, an offshore wind position in line with the Marine Spatial Plan and an opportunity to establish interconnectors across the Baltic Sea to Sweden and Latvia gives Estonia the opportunity to take the first steps towards the implementation of the Baltic Sea Declaration vision.