VSB scores approval for 350-MW wind project in Finland

German renewables developer-operator VSB Group announced on Monday that it has received planning permission for a 350-MW wind power project based in the North Ostrobothnia region of Finland.

It is a legally binding local master plan, and having it in place means that the Puutionsaari wind farm proposal can now move towards implementation, VSB said. As previously announced, the wind farm will feature 49 turbines installed in the municipality of Haapavesi.

Puutionsaari is one piece of a large-scale hybrid energy park project in North Ostrobothnia, which in its second phase will add a 100-MWp solar farm. The whole scheme will represent an investment of “well over EUR 500 million” (USD 536.4m), according to VSB Group CEO Felix Grolman.

Construction of the wind farm is set to commence in 2025, with commissioning scheduled for 2028. VSB expects the 100-MWp solar project to be fully approved by autumn 2024.

Once in operation, the hybrid wind and solar power complex will produce enough electricity to power around 337,500 four-person households, VSB said.

The company believes hybrid parks to be the future of the energy mix thanks to their ability to provide a stable supply of electricity all year round and the ease of connection to the grid without the need for additional transmission lines.

“A comprehensive hybrid park also enables other new technologies, such as the production of green hydrogen, through more consistent power generation,” says Seppo Tallgren, Managing Director of VSB Finland.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.073)

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