The energy potential of the Polish part of the Baltic Sea is considered one of the largest in Europe, reaching up to 33 GW. ‘Its use would allow a large part of Poland’s electricity demand to be met, which in turn would translate into ensuring the country’s energy independence and security,’ said Janusz Bil, President of the Management Board of ORLEN Neptun, during an expert debate organised by PAP.

Europe expects to have 111 GW of installed capacity in offshore wind farms by 2030. In Poland, the figure is 5.9 GW by 2030. By 2040, 18 GW of installed capacity will be built in Polish Baltic waters, with the full potential estimated at 33 GW. Investments in offshore projects may reach approximately PLN 900 billion.

The ORLEN Group, among others, is contributing to the achievement of these goals. In partnership with Northland Power, it is building the first offshore wind farm in Poland, Baltic Power, which will supply electricity to over 1.5 million households.

In line with its strategy, the Group plans to achieve 12.8 GW of installed capacity in renewable energy sources by 2035. Thanks to securing five new locations for offshore wind farms, the ORLEN Group’s generation potential may soon increase to a total of approximately 6.4 GW of installed capacity in offshore wind farms.

‘We recently announced that we have obtained an environmental decision for the Baltic East offshore wind farm. This is the most advanced project of the so-called second phase of offshore wind in the ORLEN Group, which is being prepared for the December offshore auction,’ said Janusz Bil, President of the Management Board of ORLEN Neptun.

The farm, with an installed capacity of approximately 1 GW, has the potential to supply clean energy to over 1.25 million households.

ORLEN Neptun is also involved in the Baltic West project. The planned total installed capacity is approximately 4 GW, which will translate into clean energy for approximately 5 million households in Poland.

‘In the coming months, ORLEN Neptun will begin a series of preparatory studies, including environmental studies, wind studies and studies aimed at identifying foundation conditions through a geophysical campaign and preliminary geotechnical studies of these waters,’ announced the president of ORLEN Neptun.

ORLEN Neptun also has in its portfolio Poland’s first offshore wind farm installation terminal, which will serve as the company’s base for the implementation of second-phase wind projects. Launched in June 2025, the Świnoujście Offshore Terminal already has two customers for the use of its infrastructure: Ocean Winds and Smulders.

Despite numerous factors unfavourable to the development of the sector in recent years (the pandemic, the geopolitical situation), offshore wind energy continues to grow dynamically. One of the priorities of the offshore industry is to create a completely new, innovative branch of the economy in Poland, based on domestic business involving Polish scientists, engineers and suppliers. According to data from the Polish Wind Energy Association (PSEW), the share of domestic companies in projects, currently hovering around 20%, is expected to increase to at least 40%. Already, around 500 Polish companies have the expertise and potential to meet the needs of offshore wind energy.

Roman Kowszewicz, Executive Director of Procurement at the ORLEN Group, noted that it is important to understand the entire supply chain. First, what parts make up the investments, i.e. identify what components are needed to implement the investments. Secondly, communication between the contracting authority and the market is important. Potential suppliers need to know in advance what and how much is needed to implement the project, which can help them, for example, in concluding cooperation agreements between contractors or component manufacturers.

‘Local content should not be an assumption that limits the market, but should develop it. Domestic companies should increase their competitiveness in the long term thanks to local content,’ said Roman Kowszewicz.

Leszek Stypułkowski, member of the management board of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK), pointed out that investments in offshore wind farms are financed on market terms.

According to him, there is considerable interest in financing from financial institutions, not only Polish but also international ones, e.g. those supporting exports, or institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

‘In my opinion, the most important thing for the future of the Polish economy is that investments in offshore wind farms also develop an ecosystem of innovative Polish companies using Polish technical expertise, which will be able to supply their products to these investments,’ argued the BGK board member.

In his opinion, it is important for large players and investors, such as ORLEN Neptun, to open up to smaller partners.

‘In order for such innovative companies to develop, we need an effective venture capital sector. One such initiative is innovate.pl, recently launched by Minister Domański,’ pointed out Leszek Stypułkowski.

Installations that were previously an ambitious plan are now becoming a reality before our very eyes, and in just one year, green electricity will flow to Polish homes and businesses. Along with offshore wind farms, a new source of green energy, a modern sector of the economy is emerging.

Piotr Czopek, Vice-President of the Polish Wind Energy Association (PSEW), noted that offshore is not only a source of energy, but also a driver of economic development.

“We need a lot of energy for the economy to grow, and an innovative economy ensures the security of the country. Offshore is necessary for this,” argued the vice-president of PSEW.

The president of ORLEN Neptun believes that one of the main reasons for continuing investments in the development of the offshore wind sector in Poland is the energy transition and broadly understood security, including energy security.

‘A robust European supply chain for key components and infrastructure guarantees energy security and economic independence for Poland and Europe. This, in turn, is extremely important in light of the geopolitical situation in which we find ourselves,’ concluded Janusz Bil, President of ORLEN Neptun.

Source: PAP MediaRoom