Wind provides a lot of energy

Wind power is a renewable energy source that generates electricity without direct greenhouse gas emissions during operation.

Production of renewable electricity

A modern wind turbine with an installed capacity of 6–7 MW in a favourable wind location can produce in the order of approximately 15–25 GWh (15,000–25,000 MWh) of electricity per year, depending on local wind conditions and technical factors.

This corresponds roughly to:

  • the electricity consumption of around 600–1,600 electrically heated homes, based on an assumed annual consumption of approximately 15,000–25,000 kWh per home
  • or the electricity consumption of around 6,000–10,000 electric cars, based on an annual energy use of approximately 1,800–3,000 kWh per car

The calculations are simplified and based on typical benchmark values for electricity use and may vary depending on actual consumption, climate, driving distance, and building energy efficiency.

Competitive production cost

Onshore wind power is an established electricity generation technology that in many cases has competitive production costs in new power generation projects, according to international cost studies (e.g. LCOE analyses). However, the pace of expansion in northern Sweden is also affected by factors such as permitting processes and grid capacity.

 
 

How wind is converted into electricity

Wind is created when air moves from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure. The greater the difference in air pressure, the stronger the wind.

These pressure differences are mainly caused by the Sun heating the Earth’s surface unevenly in different locations. When air is warmed, it becomes lighter and rises, while cooler air flows in to replace it – this movement is what we experience as wind.

When wind passes through a wind turbine, it causes the rotor blades to rotate. The blades are attached to a shaft that drives a generator inside the nacelle at the top of the tower. The generator converts this mechanical movement into electricity.

A wind turbine typically starts producing electricity at wind speeds of around 4 metres per second and shuts down if the wind becomes too strong, around 25 metres per second, to avoid damage.

Modern wind turbines can capture up to around 45 percent of the energy contained in the wind. To make better use of wind resources, turbines are built on increasingly tall towers, where winds are more stable and less turbulent. At the same time, rotor blades have become longer – the largest can be up to 85 metres.

In Sweden, winds are generally strongest during autumn and winter, which aligns well with the periods of highest electricity demand. Wind speeds are typically lowest in May.

 
 

FAQ

In 2025, Swedish wind power plants produced approximately 38–39 TWh of electricity, corresponding to about 23–24 percent of Sweden’s total electricity generation of around 168 TWh. At the same time, Sweden’s net electricity exports amounted to approximately 33–34 TWh to neighboring countries.

By 2045, Sweden aims to transform its industry, agriculture, and road transport in order to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve this, electricity production will need to increase to around 300 TWh according to estimates from the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate (Energimarknadsinspektionen). This will require continued expansion of wind power, as well as other fossil-free generation technologies.

At the same time, an important shift is already driving demand upward: a rapid expansion of electricity-intensive industry. Major investments in fossil-free steel, battery production, hydrogen, and data centers are being planned and established in northern Sweden. This new industrial base means that a significant share of future electricity production will not only need to replace fossil energy, but also supply entirely new and highly electricity-demanding activities. This increases the need for new electricity generation even further than what the decarbonisation of existing sectors alone would require.

Wind turbines produce electricity about 80% of the time over the course of a year. The fact that wind power cannot produce all the time is something we always account for in our economic calculations.

Financial security for the restoration of the wind farm after its operational life is one of the requirements imposed by the County Administrative Board and must be approved by the Board before construction begins. The amount to be set aside per turbine is determined by the County Administrative Board. Once the environmental permit is granted, the developer must deposit these funds into a locked, inflation-adjusted account with the County Administrative Board. When the wind farm is decommissioned at the end of its lifespan, the allocated funds are used to finance the dismantling of the turbines and the restoration of the affected areas.

As the technology for wind turbines advances, it also creates opportunities to produce more electricity per turbine at higher altitudes. The increase in turbine height is therefore linked to improved technology that allows more energy to be extracted from the wind at greater heights.

Wind turbines can stand still for various reasons. It may be due to maintenance, too little wind, or too much wind. On average, a wind turbine produces electricity about 80% of the time. This is sufficient for the investment to be worthwhile.

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