Port of Kokkola and OX2 to collaborate in the Laine offshore wind farm project

The renewable energy company OX2 Finland Oy is planning an offshore wind farm project in the Gulf of Bothnia, approximately 30 kilometres from the mainland and 32 kilometres from Pietarsaari. The Port of Kokkola and OX2 have agreed to collaborate, and the purpose of the collaboration is to promote the Laine offshore wind farm project by utilizing and developing the functions in the port of Kokkola.

that serves both onshore and offshore wind farm projects, Witting continues.

-Ports

play a key role in offshore wind power, and therefore it is important to plan together on how to best implement and coordinate the various functions. The port of Kokkola is in a good location for the Laine project, and our collaboration brings the project one step closer to implementation, says Laine Project Manager Olli Takalammi from OX2.

According to him, the recent familiarisation visit showed that the starting points in the port of Kokkola are very good from the point of view of OX2’s needs.

– Wide and load-bearing asphalt fields and a sufficiently load-bearing pier are the most important things. In addition to these requirements, covered storage space for certain components is needed, says Takalammi.

The parties will jointly work out how to ensure the smooth and cost-effective construction and maintenance of the Laine project. According to Torbjörn Witting, CEO of Port of Kokkola Ltd., the collaboration with OX2 will help the Port of Kokkola to take the next steps in the development of the port infrastructure.

– We are very pleased to be able to plan and prepare such a large project together with OX2. We have developed the port on a long-term basis, thanks to which we are already able to offer a superior port infrastructure

THE LAINE PROJECT comprises a maximum of 150 wind turbines, with an annual electricity production of approximately 11 terawatt hours (TWh). This is more than Olkiluoto 2 produced in 2020 (7.3 TWh). The wind farm is planned to be connected to Fingrid’s main grid at two different points. Electricity is brought ashore by sea cables, and on the mainland electricity transmission is done by land cables and overhead wires. The project also studies the possibility of green hydrogen production in marine areas.

In addition to the Laine project, OX2 has two other offshore wind farm projects in the economic zone of Gulf of Bothnia in Finland: Halla and Tyrsky. In May, the company announced that Ingka Investments of Ingka Group, the owner and operator of IKEA Retail, will join the projects with a 49 percent ownership stake. The value of the contract is €30 million.

– Finland has a huge potential for offshore wind power, which can be used to produce electricity for Finland’s growing energy needs. The signed agreement now ensures that together we can increase the production of competitively priced renewable energy, increase energy self-sufficiency, and enable industrial projects that need renewable electricity in Finland, OX2 Finland Country Manager Teemu Loikkanen comments on the IKEA partnership.

More about the cooperation between Kokkola Port and OX2 and offshore wind on the next page.