Estonia Approves First Offshore Wind Farm Building Permit

The Estonian government has taken a major step forward in its renewable energy ambitions by approving a draft law that grants the country’s first building permit for an offshore wind project.

The 50-year permit has been awarded to Saare Wind Energy, allowing the company to develop a 1.4GW offshore wind farm approximately 11 kilometers off the coast of Saaremaa island. The project is expected to feature 100 wind turbines, with installation and commissioning anticipated in the early 2030s.

The draft legislation gives the developer permission to utilize the seabed for both the wind farm and its related infrastructure.

With the building permit now secured, Saare Wind Energy has a two-year window to apply for a construction permit—typically valid for five years—before the actual construction can commence. The permit also requires the developer to implement environmental protection measures outlined in the approval.

“This is the first building permit in the history of Estonian offshore wind farms – it is an important step towards the production of clean energy,” said Jaanus Uiga, deputy secretary general for energy and mineral resources at the Estonian Ministry of Climate Change.

Alongside the Saare Wind Energy project, the Estonian government has launched proceedings for construction permits on 11 additional offshore wind farms. These proposals have been submitted by several companies and organizations, including OÜ Utilitas Wind, Five Wind Energy OÜ, Tuuletraal OÜ, UAB Ignitis Renewables Projektai 6, Liivi Offshore OÜ, the Environmental Investment Centre Foundation, and Tuul Energy OÜ.