Sweden's Dilemma: Offshore Wind Farms and National Security

Sweden's government has rejected the construction of 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea, while a project on the west coast received the green light. This decision is significantly influenced by concerns regarding national defense. Defense Minister Pal Jonson explained that wind farms in the Baltic Sea could severely impair the ability to detect and counter missiles with Sweden’s Patriot batteries. Such an installation could drastically reduce the response time to missile attacks, which is considered an unacceptable risk given the geopolitical proximity to Kaliningrad. This decision raises questions about Sweden's future energy supply, as the country plans to double its annual electricity production over the next two decades. The increasing demand for electricity results from the transition to emission-free industries such as steel, battery, and fertilizer production. To meet this demand, the government is relying on the expansion of nuclear energy but plans only a capacity increase that critics view as insufficient. On a positive note, the Poseidon project on the west coast was approved, which could supply 5.5 terawatt-hours of electricity annually. This is the third offshore wind project approved since the government took office in 2022. However, the future of further offshore wind projects remains uncertain, with ten applications still awaiting decision. The removal of subsidies for projects like Kriegers Flak, developed by Vattenfall, has also led to a global review of financing structures for offshore wind projects. Currently, a significant portion of Sweden's electricity generation comes from wind power, with hydropower and nuclear energy providing the remaining shares. The rejection of the Baltic Sea projects highlights the complexity of balancing energy needs and national security.