International consulting and engineering firm Haskoning has signed a contract with the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia to carry out the design phase of the ELWIND offshore wind project.

ELWIND is the joint Estonian and Latvian state-run offshore wind project aiming to increase the region’s independence by increasing renewable energy production.

The project will have a capacity between 700MW and 1GW. It is planned for the Baltic Sea, with separate sites located off the coast of Latvia and Estonia, aiming for operational status by 2030–2035

Under the three-year contract, Haskoning will prepare the general concept for the two wind farms in the Baltic Sea and develop this into an integral and comprehensive technical design for the project.

Haskoning’s work will include layout optimisation, transmission grid studies, and integration of site investigations and environmental assessment. The company will execute the project in partnership with subconsultant Empire Engineering, which will be responsible for designing the wind turbine foundations.

The company has been involved in earlier stages of the ELWIND project, including conducting a cable study.