System Change for Offshore Wind Permits: Sweden Rejects Eolus Projects Västvind and Najaderna

Hässleholm — Sweden is overhauling its offshore wind permitting process. Following a second wave of rejections affecting eleven projects, the government is shifting from an open application procedure to a tender-based system. Among the projects turned down are the offshore wind farms Västvind and Najaderna, developed by wind power developer Eolus.

The Swedish government announced its decision on July 16, 2026. Besides the Eolus projects Västvind and Najaderna, nine other offshore projects by different developers were rejected, while two projects were approved. The responsible ministers cited incompatible impacts on national defense as the reason. According to earlier Eolus figures, Västvind off Gothenburg and Najaderna off Gävle/Tierp were each planned with a capacity of around 1,000 MW.

Shift to a Tender-Based Offshore Permitting System

According to the government, the decision marks the end of a prolonged period of uncertainty, with all offshore wind applications submitted during the current legislative term now finally processed. Going forward, Sweden plans to move from an open application procedure to a tender-based model, under which the state will first designate suitable areas by weighing defense, shipping, fishing and environmental interests before market participants can bid for construction rights. According to the responsible ministers, this is intended to provide earlier planning certainty and make Sweden a more predictable location for investment in fossil-free power generation. The July 16 decisions were not the first approvals of the current legislative term: the government had previously approved Vattenfall's 1.2 GW Kattegat Syd project, the 400 MW Galatea-Galene project developed by OX2 and Ingka Investments, and the Poseidon wind farm off Stenungsund.

With the shift to a tender system, Sweden will follow a model similar to the one Germany has used since its 2017 EEG amendment, under which the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency and the Federal Network Agency centrally survey offshore areas before they are tendered under the Offshore Wind Energy Act.

Eolus Projects Västvind and Najaderna Rejected

Hässleholm-based wind developer Eolus said it was disappointed by the decision. "We regret the Government’s decisions. We will now carefully analyze the decisions and their consequences," said Per Witalisson, CEO of Eolus. On Västvind, he added: "Västvind has uniquely strong support in West Sweden, with Gothenburg Harbour as co-owner and a Letter of Intent signed with Volvo Cars for the purchase of a substantial share of the electricity that would be produced. These are proofs of the significance of the project for the region’s growth and we are naturally very disappointed that the Government has not taken this into consideration."

As of June 30, 2026, Eolus had capitalized costs of around SEK 48 million (approximately EUR 4.3 million) on its balance sheet for Västvind, while no such costs were recorded for Najaderna or the company's other offshore projects.

Second Rejection for Eolus Offshore Plans

Eolus shares fell by around 3 percent at times on Nasdaq Stockholm on the day of the announcement. It is the second consecutive rejection for Eolus: in November 2024, the government had already turned down the Eolus projects Arkona and Skidbladner as part of a first wave of rejections affecting 13 offshore projects.

Source: IWR Online, 20 Jul 2026