Finland could launch its first tender for offshore wind development in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the first half of 2027, following the Finnish government’s designation of four areas in the Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay for competitive tendering.
The four offshore wind areas are called Bothnian Sea West (Selkämeri länsi), Bothnian Sea East (Selkämeri itä), Bothnian Bay South (Perämeri etelä), and Bothnian Bay North (Perämeri pohjoinen).
The first tender will cover the Bothnian Bay South area, with the other three areas to follow later. The Finnish Energy Authority will organise the competitive tenders through which the country will select a project developer for each area.
The government made the area designation decisions on 5 November 2026 and issued a decree which specifies the participation requirements, selection criteria, and financial securities that bidders and successful developers must provide.
Under the new framework, bids will be assessed on price and qualitative factors, each accounting for 50 per cent of the overall evaluation. The successful bidder may then apply for an exploitation permit, allowing it to carry out more detailed offshore studies and seek the other permits required for the project.
The tendering model does not include state aid. The government noted that offshore wind projects in the Finnish EEZ have long development timelines, with 10 to 15 years potentially passing between the tender and commercial operation date.
The government has also proposed amendments to the Water Act to clarify the requirements for offshore wind farm construction and decommissioning in the EEZ. The proposed provisions would introduce rules on decommissioning obligations and financial security, with the legislation expected to enter into force in spring 2027.
As a general rule, offshore wind farms would have to be fully dismantled at the end of their operational lives. However, the Finnish Supervisory Agency could assess on a case-by-case basis how much of the structures would need to be removed down to seabed level.
The proposed rules would also apply to offshore wind farms in Finland’s territorial waters. For those projects, Metsähallitus would agree with developers on the financial security required to ensure decommissioning.
The government said the changes aim to improve regulatory predictability and legal certainty for offshore wind development, while ensuring that developers remain responsible for decommissioning costs under the polluter-pays principle.
The Act on Offshore Wind Power in the Exclusive Economic Zone (937/2024), which established the new area selection and tendering procedure, entered into force on 1 January 2025.