The ORLEN Group, together with Northland Power, has successfully begun installing Europe’s largest 15 MW wind turbines. The first wind turbine has been erected in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. This marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Polish economy – offshore wind energy. One minute of turbine operation will generate enough energy to power an electric bus for 100 km. The turbines were manufactured by the Danish company Vestas, and their components are produced, among other places, at a factory located in Szczecin. Next year, the Baltic Power offshore wind farm will be able to cover 3% of the country’s energy needs.
– We have begun a key stage in the implementation of an investment that is truly modernising the Polish energy sector. Diversifying our sources of energy production and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels will increase our energy security in the long term, which is particularly important in times of geopolitical instability. We have freed the region from Russian hydrocarbons, and now we are opening a new chapter in the history of Polish energy. The implementation of this investment will allow us to gain experience that we will use in future offshore wind farms planned in our strategy. Our experience and commitment will also be invaluable for the entire economy. The development of offshore wind energy, one of the most efficient and predictable renewable sources supporting conventional power, will enable Poland to build a stable, clean and competitive energy mix – said Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of ORLEN.
The first of 76 turbines has already been installed as part of the Baltic Power project. Each of them is capable of generating enough energy to power all households in a city the size of Stalowa Wola or Krosno. The efficiency of offshore turbines reaches almost 50%, which is comparable to conventional sources.
The towers are over 120 metres high, and the total height of the turbine, including the foundations, is 250 metres. Some of the Baltic Power turbine towers are made of recycled steel, a solution used for the first time in the construction of a wind farm. The towers are equipped with nacelles the size of a three-storey house, with blades measuring 115 metres and reaching 43,700 m² of rotor area (equivalent to more than 6 football pitches).
– This is an important day for the Polish energy sector. We have successfully completed a pioneering operation to install the largest wind turbines currently in use in Europe. The construction of an offshore wind farm is a huge engineering and operational challenge, requiring, among other things, the coordination of up to 15 different ships. What makes us particularly happy, however, is the fact that the project implemented by the ORLEN Group and Northland Power includes locally manufactured components. Some of the nacelles for our turbines are being manufactured at the new Vestas factory in Szczecin. These are yet another key components of our farm produced in Poland, following offshore substation structures, onshore cables and foundation components – says Grzegorz Szabliński, President of the Management Board of Baltic Power.
The turbine installation work is being carried out by a 160-metre jack-up vessel. With a loading capacity of up to 11,000 tonnes, the vessel can transport three complete turbines consisting of tower sections, nacelles and blades. In 2024, the vessel was specially modernised and equipped with new 1,600-tonne cranes to be able to install turbines as large as those used in the Baltic Power project.
At the same time, the installation of foundations – monopiles and transition pieces – continues in the farm area. Preparations are underway to start the installation of internal cables and offshore export cables. The installation of offshore substations is planned for the autumn.
Work is also continuing on land, including the construction of an onshore substation and cable trays. In April, the construction of a service base in Łeba was completed, which will be the headquarters for technicians and service teams for approximately 30 years. Currently, the facility in Łeba supports the installation work carried out by ORLEN and Northland Power, and after completion of construction, it will become the coordination centre for the entire Baltic Power farm.
The farm is scheduled to be launched in 2026. Baltic Power will be the first wind farm to supply Poland with energy from the sea. At the same time, the ORLEN Group plans to develop further projects with a capacity of approx. 5.5 GW in partnership. Offshore wind energy is one of the strategic directions of the ORLEN Group’s development, supporting the process of sustainable and fair energy transition.
Source: Orlen
