The County Administrative Board recommends approval for Aurora offshore wind park

Aurora is the largest offshore wind farm that has applied for a permit in Sweden. Aurora is located about 22 kilometers south of Gotland and more than 30 kilometers east of Öland in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is also an important area for the Swedish Armed Forces, and with sensors on the wind turbines, the farm could assist with area surveillance.

We congratulate OX2 and Ingka Investments, and it is also a significant moment for NIRAS, having been working on marine biological aspects since the project began.

"NIRAS's expertise in marine biology and underwater acoustics has been crucial for us to ensure that we can build a large wind farm without posing a risk of harmful impact on marine life. The energy transition is critical for our society, and it also involves preserving biodiversity," says Gabriella Ludvigsson, project manager for Aurora.

NIRAS has conducted an extensive survey program in the Aurora offshore wind farm area. We have studied the conditions for fish through net fishing and eDNA, the bottom biology and pollution levels using bottom grab samples and video sleds, and the properties and stratification of the water, including the presence of oxygen. Additionally, we have carried out a three-year-long study to determine whether the area is important for porpoises.

"Porpoises are small toothed whales found in the Baltic Sea. The population here is small and vulnerable, so it is important to ensure that a wind farm can be constructed and operated without negatively affecting the population. With the mitigation measures we have proposed as conditions for the permit, this can be achieved. The most critical issue has been to prevent disturbances in the shallow areas of the Natura 2000 sites Hoburgs Bank and Midsjö Banks, which are important breeding grounds for porpoises during the summer," explains Eva Stensland Isaeus, a marine mammal expert at NIRAS.

If the government grants approval, the first phase could be operational as early as 2030, contributing over 6 TWh of electricity annually to southern Sweden. By 2035, the entire park is expected to be fully developed and can deliver up to 24 TWh electricity per year.

As Governor Anders Flanking summarises on the County Administrative Board's website, the Aurora wind farm could significantly contribute to improving the conditions for transitioning to a fossil-free society.