Swedish defence concerns over Baltic Sea offshore wind power may be resolved

The offshore wind sector has solutions that would address Swedish defence concerns, the chief executive of renewable energy group Ørsted said on Tuesday, after Sweden rejected applications to build 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.
Swedish defence minister Pal Jonson said on Monday that building wind farms in the Baltic Sea would pose defence risks, by making it harder to detect and shoot down missiles.
As Europe turns to renewable sources to diversify energy supplies beyond Russian oil and gas, concerns have also grown over how to secure critical maritime infrastructure.
“We fully understand the valid concerns of the Swedish armed forces and government,” Ørsted chief executive Mads Nipper told reporters.
The company has already collaborated with the military in other Baltic Sea countries – Germany, Poland and Denmark – in setting up offshore wind farms, he said.
“We are quite convinced that we could find solutions to meet the needs of both the military and the government,” Nipper said. “Of course, we will offer all the experiences and learnings we have from collaboration with militaries elsewhere.”