Sweden to financially support municipalities that say ‘yes’ to wind farms

Sweden’s conservative government announced on Monday 9 September new financial support for municipalities that give the green light to wind farm projects, in order to stimulate the development of this renewable energy in the country. More than one billion crowns (97 million euros) will be devoted to this aid by 2027, said Minister of Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari at a press conference.

According to the politician, “One of the obstacles to the development of wind energy is the lack of acceptance by the local population”and its resistance to these projects. But no announcement has been made regarding offshore wind power, which according to several politicians is a brake on the development of this renewable energy in the country, deplored Fredrik Olovsson, spokesman for the Social Democratic Party on energy policy.

In early September, the Swedish public energy group Vattenfall announced that it was suspending a major offshore wind project, assuring that the investment conditions for this type of energy were not “currently not viable in Sweden”.