However, the project may face obstacles due to defense restrictions, which may even scupper the setting up of a prototype turbine in the vicinity.

Following a fall in bulk cargo volumes, the Port of Sillamäe, Ida-Viru County, is seeking new horizons in business activities that could make use of the port's infrastructure.

In conjunction with Finnish firm Elomatic, there is interest in building a production plant for mobile offshore wind turbines in Sillamäe and erecting a test turbine in the vicinity of the port.

Since the area is located within a defense ministry restriction zone in respect of turbine installation, however, a letter sent to that ministry requested information on conditions under which the project might go ahead.

"The parameters, technical dimensions, and indicators of the offshore wind turbine we desire are negotiable, as Elomatic wishes to receive offers from several foreign companies that manufacture wind turbine generators and blades, such as Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, etc., before proceeding with the construction of the first offshore wind turbine," states the letter, sent to the Ministry of Defense by the Port of Sillamäe.

The letter also argues that the proposed project is significant, as it will create new jobs in the region. "It is vitally important for us that the introduction of innovative tech and the creation of hundreds of jobs in the region of Estonia suffering most from unemployment would be the motivators based on which you would consider giving a thorough deliberation before providing a final response," Margus Vähi, board member of the Port of Sillamäe, wrote.

The Port of Sillamäe has not yet received a response from the ministry. The Ministry of Defense told ERR that the letter is being processed, and it is too early to comment on the matter.

Since Elomatic has experience in designing hydrogen production stations, in addition to the wind turbine factory, the establishment of a hydrogen station at the Port of Sillamäe is also being considered.

Minister of Economic Affairs Tiit Riisalo (Eesti 200) said that it is a good thing that entrepreneurs are searching for new solutions. "The success of Estonia's economy is indeed based on the desire of entrepreneurs to develop their businesses and keep up with the changing economy."

"Such initiatives should be wholeheartedly supported and explored to see if they could be funded, for example, via the Just Transition Fund," Riisalo went on.

Terje Talv, executive director of the Estonian wind energy association (Eesti tuuleenergia assotsiatsioon), said she welcomed the potential construction of a factory for mobile offshore wind parks in Estonia.

Talv said: "We call these floating foundation wind turbines. The principle is that the turbine is built in the port, and then towed by ships to its correct location. There, it is either anchored to the seabed or mounted on interconnected frames."

"This is innovative for sure, but it is something which is already being extensively worked on worldwide. For instance, our umbrella organization, WindEurope, has a dedicated working group which operates daily in this field. It is a new and growing trend globally," Talv went on.

According to Talv, the need for floating foundation wind turbines primarily relates to the depth of the seabed, which in the Baltic is not deep. "In Estonian waters, it's relatively easy to anchor turbines to the seabed. But if we talk about the North Sea, the Pacific Ocean, or the Indian Ocean, the depths are so massive that it's very difficult to place turbine foundations on the seabed, hence why floating systems are used. This allows for the utilization of areas where the seabed is too deep," Talv said.

Tiit Vähi, owner of the Port of Sillamäe authority, said that the company does not comment on ongoing projects to the media before approvals are obtained. The Port of Sillamäe has around a dozen development projects similar to the Elomatic development plans that are underway, he said.

Piia Leinonen, marketing and communications director at Elomatic, reiterated to ERR that the company could not comment on the Sillamäe project at this point.

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