Sweden recently moved to halt the construction of 13 offshore wind farms along its coast over national security concerns. Officials said there was the potential for this renewable energy infrastructure to hamper the country’s response time in the event of an attack from Russia.
Government officials in Sweden expressed concern that moving forward with these planned wind farms would make them vulnerable to hypothetical foreign missile strikes, especially given their proximity to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad which is a highly militarized zone.
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The Swedish Defense Ministry raised concerns that offshore wind turbines could interfere with radar signals. Those signals are crucial for tracking and responding to potential military threats. Experts said interference may reduce radar accuracy and in some cases block out portions of the sky.
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson claims offshore turbines could cause a radar disruption that reduces the country’s response window. Currently, the country has a two-minute window to a hypothetical Russian missile launch. However, the disruptions could cut that to 60 seconds, according to Jonson.
Sweden’s decision mirrors similar concerns expressed by defense officials in the United Kingdom and France. Both countries have also questioned the strategic implications of wind energy infrastructure in protecting against foreign aggression.
Despite blocking those offshore projects near Russian territory, Sweden has approved an 81-turbine wind farm on the nation’s eastern coast, facing its allies. Set for completion by 2031, this project is expected to power around 1 million homes.