An offshore wind power project's way towards realization

In January, the county administrative board of Halland gave the green light for the project, initially called Galatea-Galene and consisting of two project areas. In May, the Swedish government announced that OX2 had received permission for the northern part of the project, Galene, with a potential capacity of around 400 MW.

– The Galene permit was huge for OX2 as a company, we are one of only two Swedish companies to have been granted a permit to build. It also contributed to putting offshore wind power on the map in Sweden, says Emelie Zakrisson.

Geophysical surveys

In November and December, geophysical surveys were carried out to examine the seabed conditions. Measurements were taken up to 70 meters below the seabed, to explore the conditions where the foundations of the turbines will be installed.

– We will probably use monopile foundations, which are normally piled into the seabed. The optimal seabed condition is a fine layer of sand followed by stiff clay without too many large boulders or bedrock. Now we are eagerly waiting to see what the data shows, says Emelie Zakrisson.

Collaborations drive the project

Several collaborations have been initiated during the year, with the aim of driving the project and securing progress. This includes partnerships for the foundations, high-voltage equipment and export cables for electricity, and more.

– There is great demand on the world market for components and services linked to offshore wind power. We want to be prioritized and are in constant contact with the supply chain. We also see opportunities to move forward faster and get operational if we have the right partners with us along the way.

Grid connection is key

Getting the wind farm connected to the grid is a key issue. A cooperation agreement has been signed with Ellevio, whose experience as a power grid owner complements OX2's expertise in project development and construction. A letter of intent has also been signed with port operator HallandsHamnar to establish a local office and service port in the port of Varberg.

So, what's the next step in the Galene project?

– We are active in many areas. There are still outstanding permits to obtain, and we are working on the design of the wind farm and its components. We will also carry out more investigations in the area, plus we are active in dimensioning and designing the grid connection.

Contributes lessons learned

Galene is one of OX2's ten offshore projects under development, which are located in Sweden, Finland and Åland. It is also the offshore project that is most progressed.

– The development of Galene contributes lessons learned on several different levels: permit processes, feasibility studies, design, collaborations and more, which is beneficial for the other projects. We are relatively few people in a fast-moving team, so information flows in a good way, says Emelie Zakrisson.

OX2 plans to start construction in 2026 so that the wind farm can be operational in 2028 or 2029.