The global calls to increase the energy produced from the renewable energy sector have reached a tipping point, with several nations commissioning new wind farms over the past few years. Now, Europe’s wind energy market has been boosted by the news that Poland’s first-ever offshore wind project, the 1.2 GW Baltic Power farm, is progressing on schedule and is slated for a 2026 startup. The project’s operator, a joint venture created between ORLEN Group and Northland Power, has confirmed the good news.
Baltic Power confirms the project is moving ahead, with delays expected in commissioning
The 1.2 GW Baltic Power farm is being developed by the joint venture created specifically to advance the project towards a 2026 commissioning date. With a reported capacity of 1.2 GW, the wind farm project will produce approximately 4TWh of energy per year, enough to power over 1,5 million households across Poland. Baltic Power states that the project can reduce CO2 emissions by around 2.8 million tonnes annually.
“It is a challenging and difficult operation to execute, but it will bring a significant boost to the country’s energy transition. Furthermore, several nacelles for our turbines will be manufactured at the newly launched VESTAS factory in Szczecin. These are the next key elements of our wind farm produced locally, alongside topsides of offshore substations, onshore cables, elements of foundations and many others” – Grzegorz Szabliński, President of The Management Board of Baltic Power
The project is only the second in Europe to install the mega-wind turbines that have a 15 MW generating capacity, significantly larger than any other turbines currently in use around the continent. The V236-15 turbines manufactured by Vestas are some of the largest in the global turbine market.
Notably, the top parts of Baltic Power’s towers were manufactured using recycled steel, which is the first time a project has used this innovative solution.
“As the first project in Poland that has reached such an advanced stage of the construction, we pave the way in multiple areas and build experience for the entire industry. The installation campaign is a major challenge in terms of planning, logistics and marine coordination, as we are one of the first ever projects to install such large-scale turbines.” – Jens Poulsen, Project Director and the Board Member of Baltic Power
Once operational, Baltic Power will be Poland’s first offshore wind farm
The landmark achievement is a step towards new levels of clean energy generation for a nation that has been stagnating in its embrace of the renewable energy market and all the energy potential it has in abundance. Add to that the emission reduction possibilities that wind power has, and the future of the wind energy sector in Poland is looking good.
For the necessary wind turbine construction, the project selected Cadeler as the contractor. Both offshore substations have been erected, paving the way for the project to reach full commissioning next year. With the environmental impacts being considered by the project’s management, the progress is moving forward, with eh construction of the turbines nearing completion.
The European proclivity for renewable energy generation has become all too clear
As Poland’s first-ever offshore wind project nears completion, the potential of the renewable energy sector in diversifying regional energy supply is reaching its full potential. Other European nations have expressed similar ambitions for the integration of the renewable energy sector into their markets, such as Germany selecting Nordex as the preferred supplier of wind turbines for the Schneifelhöhe wind project. The wind energy sector is reaching for the skies and has developed an impressive portfolio that is set to grow over the coming years, marking a new era of renewable energy.
