Plans are now being made for a large expansion of offshore wind power in Sweden as a way to solve the electricity crisis and cope with the electrification of the future. But many are worried that the plans could affect both migratory birds and seabirds. And the risks to birds are often highlighted by opponents of wind power. But new findings and knowledge show that several of the problems can be solved.
– Offshore wind power can absolutely coexist with birds and other biological diversity. So that you think ahead and build in the right places, says Martin Green at Lund University, who is one of the country’s leading bird researchers.
Offshore wind farms can mean three different problems for birds, but there are also solutions, see which in the clip above.
Major investment in offshore wind power
While our neighboring countries invest heavily in wind power in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, nothing has been built in Sweden for ten years. But the plans are big: Now nine authorities are investigating how wind power at sea will be capable of an additional 90 TWh in addition to the 20-30 TWh that have already been identified.
That would therefore give at least 120 Twh a year. This can be compared with Sweden’s entire electricity production today of approximately 166 TWh.
Not at the expense of bird and animal life
New wind farms must not only coexist with birds, but also with shipping, defense and fishing, among other things. But the birds don’t have to be an obstacle if you build in the right places and stop operations sometimes, according to Martin Green.
– There is room to build much, much more offshore wind power. There is almost nothing in Swedish waters at all. We have to do something about the climate crisis, but without at the same time worsening the crisis for biodiversity, he says.
