Increasing amounts of pure renewable energy are needed by the community. Production of electricity from wind power has four main requirements – land with good wind conditions, infrastructure, certain distance from housing, and operational and administrative skills.

Land with ideal wind conditions
As a group, Södra owns forestry land and mill sites with expansion potential. Some of this land is near the coast where strong winds are common, but there are also many good inland locations that are suitable for wind power.

Good infrastructure for delivery of electricity
Södra already produces some 1.7 terawatt hours of green electricity at its pulp mills, which have a good infrastructure for the production and delivery of electricity. The first wind turbines will therefore be constructed in conjunction with the Värö, Mörrum and Mönsterås pulp mills, as well as at one of Södra’s forest properties near Ullared.

Competency and experience for construction, operation and sales
A modern wind turbine is 100 metres tall. The rotor blades are up to 50 metres long, giving a total height of 150 metres. Before construction can commence, the site’s suitability must be evaluated and building permits sought. The permit process can take anything from a couple of months to several years and requires planning, patience and a range of skills. When the wind turbine is constructed, expertise is needed to ensure good and safe production, and ensure the appropriate contracts and sales agreements are signed. Due to Södra already being a major producer of green electricity, it has an organisation in place able to sell the electricity to be produced by the wind turbines.

Planned initial establishment
In the initial phase, 23 wind turbines are planned that are expected to produce 140 GWh of renewable electrical energy, equivalent to the normal consumption of household electricity for over 2,000 family homes. The first three wind turbines are expected to be commissioned in 2009.