Permit Granted for Wind Power in Ulricehamn Municipality
Eolus has been granted an environmental permit for a wind farm east of Marbäck in Ulricehamn Municipality. “This is a positive decision both for us as a company and for the region of Västra Götaland, which urgently needs fossil-free electricity,” says Per Witalisson, CEO of Eolus.
The Marbäck wind farm will consist of eight wind turbines with an estimated annual production of approximately 200 GWh of renewable electricity — enough to meet the annual household electricity needs of around 40,000 homes.
In September 2024, the Ulricehamn municipal council approved the environmental assessment of the project. Now, the Environmental Permit Delegation at the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland (EPD) has granted Eolus an environmental permit to build the wind farm.
“Considering that a large majority of planned wind farms have been halted due to municipal vetoes in the past years, it is very positive that Ulricehamn Municipality approved the Marbäck wind farm and that EPD has now granted permission for its construction,” says Per Witalisson.
The permit decision is based on the environmental impact assessment and other documentation submitted by Eolus and other stakeholders. The authorities have concluded that the project complies with the provisions of the Swedish Environmental Code.
“The fact that the County Administrative Board, like us, recognizes the great potential for renewable electricity production in this project demonstrates Eolus’ experience and competence in developing successful projects. Project Managers Anna Gunnarsson and Jakob Economou have done an excellent job with the application,” says Helena Tillborg, Country Manager Sweden at Eolus.
Västra Götaland has a significant need for fossil-free electricity to enable the ongoing transition in the industrial and transport sectors. This transition is necessary both to reduce climate impact and to ensure that businesses remain competitive globally. According to Statistics Sweden (SCB), approximately 50 percent of the energy used in Västra Götaland today comes from fossil sources, mainly gas and oil. Changing this requires, among other things, electrification of businesses and processes. At the same time, around 70 percent of Västra Götaland’s electricity consumption already depends on imports from other regions.
The Marbäck wind farm will provide benefits to the local community, including community funding for local associations, compensation for nearby residents, land lease payments, and the government-promised compensation to the municipality equivalent to the property tax for wind power.
The County Administrative Board’s decision will now be formally announced, and affected parties will have the opportunity to appeal. Eolus can take the next steps to prepare for an investment decision once the ruling becomes legally binding. The wind farm is expected to be operational by 2028/2029.
For further information, please contact:
Helena Tillborg, Country Manager Sweden at Eolus, +46 70 975 96 06, helena.tillborg@eolus.com
Stefan Gustavsson, Public Affairs Manager at Eolus, +46 73 428 21 34, stefan.gustavsson@eolus.com
