Maciej Mierzwinski: Potential still huge, but time is running out

One of the arguments for the development of the offshore wind energy sector is the creation of new jobs. Often cited in publications and statements are the results of analysis by McKinsey consulting center, based on the input-output analysis method. It shows that offshore wind energy could create 77,000 new jobs by 2030. In conversations with BalticWind.EU, the industry increasingly doubts these estimates. Maciej Mierzwinski, CEO of CEE Energy Group, talks about the real potential of the Polish offshore supply chain. He argues that urgent decisions are needed. Article taken from BalticWind.EU Quarterly Report Q2 [...]

A new look at floating technology. Simply Blue Group conquers the Baltic Sea

Simply Blue Group is one of the leading early stage blue economy developers . “We believe in the power of the oceans to decarbonize our world”, emphasize representatives of the Irish company focussing on, among other things, the development of offshore wind energy. Simply Blue Group has particular hopes for floating technology, which they want to explore in the Baltic Sea region. […]

Latvian parliament approves regulations to improve RES development

On final reading on July 14, the Latvian Parliament approved amendments to the Energy Law and the Electricity Market Law prepared by the Ministry of Economics, contributing to strengthening Latvia’s energy security and independence. The new legislation will promote the development of RES, support energy efficiency and more active citizen participation in energy production. […]

First offshore wind farm in Lithuania to establish low electricity prices

Today, Lithuanian Minister of Energy, Dainius Kreivys, met with representatives of the municipality of Palanga and the local community to present the planned first offshore wind farm in the Baltics. At the meeting, he argued that the offshore wind farm would provide independence and low electricity prices. […]

CRIST and Baltic ZEV Hub present their potential to the United Arab Emirates

In early July 2022, a meeting was held at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Warsaw between representatives of the Polish shipyard Crist, Synlift and the Baltic Sea and Space Cluster (BSSC). The meeting was hosted by Ahmed Al-Mansouri, Second Secretary of the UAE Embassy. The topic of discussion was the matter of shipbuilding for the offshore wind sector. […]

RWE Renewables joins Lithuanian Maritime Cluster

German investor RWE Renewables has joined the Lithuanian Maritime Cluster. The new cluster member is the world’s second largest business organization in terms of installed capacity of offshore wind farms and one of the largest energy companies in Europe. […]

Port of Klaipeda draws inspiration from Port of Mukran development

Representatives of the Lithuanian Port of Klaipeda visited the German Port of Mukran, which is a base used for the construction of offshore farms in the Baltic Sea. The Port of Klaipeda wants to become a hub of resources needed for an offshore wind farm project in Lithuania. Accordingly, representatives of the Klaipeda port authority and Klaipeda's Klasco shipping company visited the port of Mukran to see how to prepare the port for offshore wind energy development. The preparatory phase for the construction of a 700 MW wind farm in the Baltic Sea in Lithuania has already begun. Investors will [...]

Port of Klaipeda hopes to strengthen cooperation with German seaports

Representatives from the Ministry of Economics and Innovation of Hamburg, ports of Lübeck, Brunsbüttel and Hamburg, visited the port of Klaipeda. During the visit, the delegates were presented with the development directions of the Port of Klaipeda and the ongoing and planned development projects. […]

SWEA: Swedish armed forces should facilitate wind power expansion

Swedish Wind Energy Association (Svensk Vindenergi) has issued a position statement on the opinions issued by the Swedish armed forces on offshore wind energy projects. Since 2017, Sweden’s armed forces have rejected 9 out of 10 offshore wind farm projects. Such actions could significantly limit the development of the offshore wind sector in Sweden. […]

Lithuania strengthens energy cooperation with the US

Lithuanian Minister of Energy, Dainius Kreivys, has signed an agreement providing for enhanced cooperation between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania. The cooperation includes achieving Lithuania’s energy security and climate-neutral energy transition goals. […]

Cloudberry partners with Hafslund for the Stenkalles offshore wind project

Cloudberry Clean Energy has entered into a binding term-sheet for the sale of 50% of shares in Cloudberry Offshore Wind AS, to form a 50/50 joint venture with Hafslund AS. Cloudberry Offshore Wind AS indirectly owns the 100 MW shallow-water wind project Stenkalles Grund in the lake of Vänern in south-central Sweden (SE3). The transaction is expected to close in September 2022. […]

Baltic grid operators discuss winter energy demand

At the end of June in Tallinn, representatives of electricity system operators from the Baltic Sea region discussed energy production and demand during the winter. The situation is unique in the context of the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the countries cutting off Russian fossil fuel imports. […]

Tomasz Lisiecki: The offshore wind industry is at its beginning and we are at the start of the training road 

For the offshore wind industry, besides dedicated study programs and technical schools, the training offer is also crucial. One of the training centres in Poland uses VR (virtual reality) technologies. Tomasz Lisiecki, Chairman of the Board of the New CompetencIes Centre (NCC), comments for BalticWind.EU. The commentary was originally published in “BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Poland Q1 2022”. […]

Construction of Aurora Line begins – a new interconnector between Finland and Sweden

Fingrid, Finnish transmission system operator, and Svenska kraftnät, Swedish grid operator, are jointly preparing a new electricity transmission line between Finland and Sweden. Construction of the 380 km long transmission line, called the Aurora Line, and the substations, that will be part of the project, will begin this year in Finland. […]

Krzysztof Tomaszewski: The development of offshore wind industry requires secondary technical education 

In the public debate on the development of staff necessary for the development of the offshore wind sector, arguments are most often voiced about the need to start new majors at universities. Education is also needed at the technical secondary level. Close cooperation of the Polish industry with young technicians is needed as well. Krzysztof Tomaszewski, Member of the Board of CEE Energy Group, describes the challenges facing the education of offshore wind energy personnel in his commentary for BalticWind.EU. The commentary was originally published in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Poland Q1 2022. […]

Polish-Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry established in Riga

The activities were inaugurated by the Polish-Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry based in Riga, which brings together companies, institutions and individuals interested in the development of economic relations between Poland and Latvia. Among the founding members of the Chamber is ORLEN Lietuva – ORLEN Latvija, a company planning investments in wind energy. […]

Jakub Budzyński: Effective cooperation between business and young specialists is the key to offshore wind development

On BalticWind.EU we spoke to Jakub Budzyński, Vice-President of the Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society (PTMEW). We ask about Polish staff in the offshore wind sector and the state of their preparation. How many specialists are employed in the Polish offshore wind energy sector?  The commentary was originally published in “BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Poland Q1 2022”. […]

Wójcik: To overcome challenges in Lithuania is necessary to think about offshore wind as a regional market 

Lithuania is mobilizing for the development of offshore wind. Mariusz Wójcik, Director Project Development & Advisory for Offshore Wind, Poland and Baltics in Ramboll Polska, in his comment for BalticWind.EU points out the challenges Lithuania is facing, the opportunities arising from the development of offshore wind in Lithuania and explains the aspects of financing wind projects in the Baltic Sea. The commentary was originally published in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Lithuania Q1 2022. […]

Lithuanian Energy Agency on the path of offshore wind development 

Lithuanian Energy Agency (LEA) plays one of the key roles in the development of offshore wind energy in Lithuania. In response to questions, the agency tells BalticWind.EU its tasks, role, and challenges in 2022.  The commentary was originally published in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Lithuania Q1 2022. […]

PWEA2022: Baltic Sea as North Sea. Poland unblocks wind energy development

Once again the wind energy industry met in Serock at the invitation of the Polish Wind Energy Association (PWEA). The first offshore wind farms will appear around 2026, while a new investment horizon is emerging for onshore wind. Legislation lifting restrictions on onshore development will go into effect later this year. The PWEA2022 Conference is a three-day event (June 13-15), during which the future of offshore wind energy in Poland is discussed. This year's conference brought together over 2,000 representatives of Polish and foreign companies from the energy sector and the largest entities conducting investment processes around the world, both [...]

Siemens Gamesa: Green hydrogen will ensure Europe’s energy security

One of the leading component manufacturers in the offshore wind sector, Siemens Gamesa, has published a white paper entitled “Unlocking European Energy Security”. The authors of the publication argue that the development of the hydrogen economy will not be possible without rapid implementation of RES. Green hydrogen is the key to unlocking energy security in Europe. Offshore wind energy will play one of the key roles. […]

Artur Ambrożewicz: Polish offshore wind sector needs technicians

That is the training mission of Vulcan Training & Consultancy. The representatives of the training company focus primarily on the safety of offshore workers. – We teach how to work safely at height, how to give advanced first aid, what to do in case of a fire, how to get out of a smoky turbine or how to survive at sea in case of an emergency”, says Artur Ambrożewicz, the CEO of Vulcan Training & Consultancy, in an interview with BalticWind.EU.  The commentary was originally published in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Poland Q1 2022. […]

Iberdrola seeks suppliers for Baltic Eagle project

Iberdrola is organising an IBERDROLA B2B Supplier Day on June 7 in Rostock. The Spanish developer is seeking service and component suppliers for the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm project among companies in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. […]

Port of Klaipeda begins construction of infrastructure for offshore wind

The port authority of the Lithuanian Port of Klaipėda have signed an investment agreement with Klaipėda Sea Cargo Company (Klasco). The agreement concerns the construction of port infrastructure necessary for the development of a planned offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea. Investment in infrastructure on the Smelte peninsula could amount to around €27 million. […]

Rokas Masiulis: Litgrid as a transmission system operator has a very clear task in offshore wind development

Litgrid as the transmission system operator in Lithuania plays one of the key roles in the development of the energy system, including renewable energy sources. Lithuania has ambitions for the development of offshore wind energy and is trying to implement them successfully. About the role of Litgrid in the process of offshore wind farm development in Lithuania we talk with Rokas Masiulis, CEO of Litgrid. The commentary was originally published in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Lithuania Q1 2022. […]

Not just Korsnäs. Finland to lease offshore areas for 2-4 wind farms

Finnish Metsähallitus Director General, CEO Juha S. Niemelä sees offshore wind power as the next step in Finnish energy solutions. In an interview with “Uutissuomalainen” he says that Finland will lease offshore areas for 2-4 wind farm projects on the country’s west coast. […]

Svenska Kraftnät received applications to connect 125 GW in offshore wind

Swedish transmission system operator Svenska Kraftnät is working on a report on preparations for the expansion of the offshore grid. They must submit the document to the government by 15 June 2022. Project manager Kristian Lilliesköld points to developers’ strong interest in pursuing offshore wind farms. […]

Offshore wind turbines will be larger and more economical than predicted

The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) research center leaned into offshore wind technology development. It has grown significantly in recent years. Leading industry experts predict that wind farms (onshore and offshore) will be much higher and more economical in 2035 than originally predicted. Forecasts of wind technology development are crucial for developers of future wind farms. Verified information can help with making informed investment decisions and energy infrastructure development. The height of wind turbines will increase even more than previously anticipated. Wind farms will increasingly be located in less favorable wind regions and locations. All of this is [...]

Offshore wind as one of the elements of German-US energy partnership

Offshore wind energy is one of the areas where Germany and the U.S. will pursue an energy partnership. The signing of a joint declaration by representatives of the two countries took place on the sidelines of a meeting of G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers in Berlin. […]

Service base for BC-Wind offshore wind farm to be built in Władysławowo

Global developer Ocean Winds and the port manager, Szkuner Sp. z o.o., have established a preliminary agreement for the lease of land and wharf in the port of Władysławowo, Poland. An operations and maintenance base for the maintenance of the BC-Wind offshore wind farm will be established here. […]

Polish senators discuss the preparation of service port in Łeba

During the survey visit to Wejherowo and Łeba members of the Budget and Public Finance Committee met with local government officials, cultural animators and offshore wind energy investors. The discussion focused, among other things, on the future of the port in Łeba, including the development of a service port necessary to service offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea. […]

German CBSS presidency will focus on offshore wind cooperation

Foreign ministers of the Baltic Sea states met on 25 May 2022 in Norway, for the first ministerial session of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in nine years. The representatives of the Baltic Sea region confirmed the Vilnius II Declaration and signed a new one – the Kristiansand Declaration. The Germans, who will take on the presidency of the CBSS in July, have announced measures for regional cooperation in the area of offshore wind energy. […]

Estonia to start processing 20 applications for permits to build offshore wind farms

The Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) has announced that it will start the procedure of analyzing applications for construction permits for 20 offshore wind farms. On May 12, the Estonian government passed the Estonian Maritime Spatial Plan, which gives TTJA the opportunity to carry out procedures for offshore wind that have been pending until now. […]

Ålandsbanken Fondbolag and OX2 expand cooperation in offshore wind energy

Finnish investment manager Ålandsbanken Fondbolag has announced that it has extended its existing agreement with OX2 for cooperation in the offshore wind area. The supplementary agreement relates to the development of an additional offshore wind project to be located north of the Åland Islands and named Noatun Nord. […]

REPowerEU to increase the role of offshore wind in Europe’s energy security

On 18 May, the European Commission presented the long-awaited REPowerEU plan, which aims to quickly reduce dependence on raw materials imported from Russia. The key is energy transition. The plan includes an answer to the needs of the RES industry – streamlining permitting, which was welcomed by the wind sector. Danish MEP Morten Petersen (Renew, Denmark) comments for BalticWind.EU. […]

Environmental surveys at Baltica 1 will begin soon

Polish investor PGE Baltica is preparing to start measuring wind, wave and current resources in the Baltic Sea for the construction of the Baltica 1 offshore wind power plant. The research will be carried out by a Spanish specialist company. […]

BUND calls for sustainable development of offshore wind energy in Germany

Environmental organizations are speaking out in response to plans for further expansion of offshore wind in Germany. Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) is calling on the German government to treat nature conservation equally to electricity production goals. This includes offshore wind energy. […]

125 applications for concessions for offshore wind farms in new areas in Poland

The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure has launched further administrative procedures for granting concessions for new offshore wind sites in the Polish Baltic Sea in 2022. There are 11 proceedings in total. The Minister of Infrastructure Marek Gróbarczyk informed that so far 125 applications have been received for licenses for offshore wind farms in new maritime areas in Poland. […]

BWO: The current WindSeeG project neglects industrial policy

The Bundestag will hold the first reading of the second draft of the amendment to the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG). According to the Federal Association of Wind Farm Operators Offshore (BWO), little consideration has been given to industrial policy requirements to date. […]

Service port for Baltic Power offshore farm will be built in Leba

Representatives of Baltic Power, a company from the Polish Orlen Group and Northland Power, have signed a contract to lease land for the construction of a service base in Leba. There, by the Baltic Sea, a service port will be built for an offshore farm of 70 wind turbines. The Baltic Power offshore wind farm will be operational in 2026. The port of Leba has been designated to serve it for 25 years. Thanks to the signing of the agreement the investor will have at their disposal an area of approx. 1.1 hectares, on which a base for the operation [...]

Poland to reassess the potential of offshore wind in the Baltic Sea. The report will be presented this fall

Experts from Ramboll, KP Consulting, Gdynia Maritime Institute and Gdynia Maritime University, within a jointly formed consortium, will prepare a report on electricity production potential of offshore wind farms located in Polish Baltic Sea areas. A vision for the sector's development until 2050 will also be presented. The study will be released in October 2022. On 11 May, a conference organised by the Polish Wind Energy Association (PWEA) was held in Warsaw, during which the industry informed about works on a report that is to indicate the real energy potential of offshore wind farms in Polish waters of the Baltic [...]

Seaports in Hamburg and Klaipeda establish cooperation

Germany’s largest seaport Hamburg and Lithuania’s seaport Klaipeda intend to cooperate more closely on developing and implementing joint projects and creating new logistics routes between Germany and Lithuania. In addition, Lithuania invites German companies to participate in the construction of an offshore wind farm near Klaipeda and to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the port of Klaipeda. […]

SWEA: Permitting phase includes 67 TWh of offshore wind potential

According to the Swedish Wind Energy Association (SWEA), a total of 67 TWh of offshore wind power is in the permitting phase. Projects for which permit applications are currently pending could be commissioned in as little as six years, but then the permitting processes will need to be streamlined and coordinated, the Swedish industry organization argues. […]

Simon Redfern: Poland is very much high up the list of countries where SSE Renewables see opportunities

Simon Redfern is a senior executive with over 35 years’ experience on a range of large, high-value infrastructure projects in the offshore wind, telecoms and offshore oil & gas sectors. For the last 20 years he has focused on the offshore wind from building the earliest UK Round 1 projects to consulting on a wide variety of projects in Europe, the US and the Far East. Mr. Redfern currently holds position of the Bid Director in the SSE Renewables, where he is responsible for leading the bid process for Polish Offshore License Locations. We talk with Simon Redfern about SSE [...]

50Hertz led consultations on the Ostwind 3 project

German electricity system operator 50Hertz said that in preparation for the start of the plan approval process for the Ostwind 3 offshore connection project, two consultation meetings were held – in December 2021 and February 2022. […]

The Nordic Hydrogen Route in the Gulf of Bothnia region will be developed. Wind turbines play an important role

Two Nordic entities – Gasgrid Finland and Nordion Energi – will launch the Nordic Hydrogen Route, the first large-scale cross-border hydrogen network in Europe. The companies are looking to develop pipeline networks that would transport the energy carrier from producers to consumers. Wind energy – onshore and offshore – will play an important role. Wind turbines will provide the energy to produce green hydrogen. […]

Green hydrogen production project in Gävle enters the next phase

Swedish energy investor and RES developer Svea Vind Offshore has announced that Ramboll experts are completing a safety analysis before the 2023 start-up of the Gävle hydrogen project in Sweden. The venture involves the production, storage, and distribution of green hydrogen. […]

Orlen Group intends to join the auction for offshore wind farms in Lithuania

Daniel Obajtek, the CEO of Polish energy group Orlen, said that as part of its development, the company will invest in renewable energy, allowing it to become independent from fossil fuels. – Among other things, we intend to enter the upcoming auction for a 700 MW offshore wind farm concession in the Lithuanian part of the Baltic Sea, he announced on Twitter. […]

2022 possibly a record year for offshore wind in Europe

According to estimates by an energy research and business intelligence company Rystad Energy, offshore wind capacity additions in Europe will break records in 2022. The dynamics will be driven mainly by offshore wind development in the UK. The projects in the Baltic Sea will be visible on the European offshore wind map in later years. […]

Easter Package will accelerate offshore wind development in Germany

At the beginning of April, the German government adopted the so-called Easter Package at the request of Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck. This is the largest change to the country’s energy policy regulations in decades. According to the premise, the Easter Package will comprehensively change a number of regulations to accelerate the development of RES, including offshore wind energy. […]

Nature surveys for Korsnäs offshore wind farm will start in spring

Metsähallitus is a state-owned company that manages one-third of Finland’s land and water areas. The Finnish entity has announced that the onshore and offshore nature surveys needed for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the Korsnäs offshore wind farm will start in the spring. Wind measurements will also continue on Bergö Island in Maalahti. […]

H-BLIX: Construction of 1 GW in offshore wind turbines in Poland could generate 4,000 jobs

H-BLIX is an independent onshore and offshore wind consulting firm with offices in, amongst others, the Netherlands or Poland. The center reported on Linkedin that according to its latest calculations, the rate of local content at 25 percent, the development and construction of an offshore wind farm with a capacity of about 1 GW, associated with an investment of just over PLN 10 billion, may create a total of more than 4 thousand jobs. […]

Drones will deliver spare parts to offshore wind farms in Germany

German airline German Airways, logistics company Zeitfracht Group, and drone manufacturer Wingcopter, are starting to cooperate in the area of drone use for offshore deliveries. Drones will also be able to deliver, among other things, wind turbine spare parts for offshore wind farm sites. […]

GWEC: Wind industry needs a political breakthrough

According to the latest Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) report, the wind industry noted its second best year in terms of new installed capacity. Experts estimate that scaling up development to realize climate neutrality requires a breakthrough in national policies. […]

Demand for workers in German offshore wind sector is growing rapidly

Accelerated offshore wind development pleases the German business, but it is a major challenge for the industry. Companies in the supply sector need to take steps to upskill current employees and provide necessary training. These are the conclusions of the Institute for Trend and Market Research wind:research, which presents data on the wind energy labor market up until 2019 in the third edition of its study on value creation of offshore wind energy in Germany. It turns out that in 2018 there were nearly 24,500 employees (FTEs) who generated €9.8 billion in turnover. By 2020, there were only about [...]

Karina Würtz: Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Declaration must now be followed by visible action

Another international conference of the wind energy industry in Bilbao has started today, and BalticWind.EU has become a media partner of the event organized by WindEurope. We are convinced that actors from the Baltic Sea Region can be further activated in the international debate on the future of wind energy in Europe. The voice of the region should be heard even more.  How can the Baltic Sea region be more involved in the international discussion on the future of wind energy in Europe? Karina Würtz, Managing Director of German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation, answered BalticWind.EU [...]

Need for greater involvement of the Baltic Sea in talks on offshore wind

After the North Sea, the Baltic Sea will be the next driving market for the offshore wind sector in Europe. As BalticWind.EU we observe that the wind industry from the Baltic countries is not sufficiently involved in European discussions about the future of the wind sector, although the interest itself is growing. The Baltic Sea Region should take an active part in the European discourse and promote more of its own potential, technologies, and ambitions. […]

German shipyards will be the determinant of offshore wind development in Germany

More than 40 senior representatives from politics, trade unions, business, and science discussed the role of the shipyard in the development of offshore wind energy at the MV Werften site in Rostock-Warnemünde. The development of the offshore wind sector in Germany will depend on the health of the maritime industry, especially shipyards. […]

Litgrid: We are preparing for integration of offshore wind into the Lithuanian grid

Lithuania’s electricity transmission system operator has summarized 2021 and published a set of financial statements. Litgrid reports that they have successfully met their targets for electricity supply reliability and strategic project execution. Litgrid is also preparing for the integration of offshore farms that will appear in the Baltic Sea. […]

Lithuanian Parliament approves further offshore wind energy proposals

During the discussion at the meeting of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, the proposals of the Committee for Environmental Protection, on the development of offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea, were accepted. This is a big step closer to offshore wind in Lithuania, comments the Lithuanian Wind Power Association (LVEA). […]

Geopolitical crisis and a turning point in Germany’s energy policy

– Over the past few weeks, we have made intensive efforts with all relevant players to import less fossil fuels from Russia and expand its supply. The first important milestones have been reached to free us from the grip of Russian imports, the Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck, announced on March 23. This is in response to the actions of Germany’s energy partner – Russia. Germany wants to diversify its gas supply and accelerate the development of RES and the energy transition. “RES is safety”, repeatedly said [...]

Nordic operators will support the Baltic power system in case of failure

The CEOs of Scandinavian grid companies Energinet, Fingrid, Statnett, and Svenska kraftnät discussed the electricity system operators’ preparation for a possible aggravation of the situation in the Baltic Sea region and its impact on the Baltic transmission system, according to a release from Finnish operator Fingrid. […]

Poland’s first Executive MBA program for the offshore wind sector launched

March 25 marked the launch of the first Executive MBA program for the offshore wind energy industry in Poland, at the Gdynia Maritime University. Education of Polish offshore leaders was undertaken by the Offshore Wind Energy Center, also in Gdynia. BalticWind.EU will support the organizers as a media partner. […]

Sweden’s climate policy framework must be a “plan to accelerate action”

Swedish Climate Policy Council presented the latest edition of its annual report assessing the effectiveness of the government’s climate change efforts to the Minister for Climate and the Environment, Annika Strandhäll. According to experts, there is a need for better coordination of the activities of state bodies and greater efficiency in permitting procedures. […]

BASREHRT – Sweden and Baltic countries hold roundtable talks on RES and hydrogen

There is no longer any doubt that wind energy in the Baltic Sea region will play a key role in the development of green hydrogen production. Recently, the BASREHRT project – the Baltic Sea Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Experts Roundtable – was launched. It is a platform for cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region that can translate into cross-border cooperation projects. […]

Latvia rejects Ørsted’s wind project, the government wants to look for ELWIND site

The Latvian government has decided to reject an application from Danish RES developer Ørsted, in cooperation with Estonian partner Eesti Energia, related to the construction and location of an offshore wind farm in Latvian waters. The decision is driven by the need to find a suitable location for the Latvian-Estonian offshore wind farm ELWIND. […]

Poland has started work on the implementation of Sector Deal premise for offshore wind energy

In September 2021, the Polish government and the offshore wind industry signed the Polish Offshore Wind Sector Deal for offshore wind development in Poland. The main objective of the groundbreaking document is to maximize the local content of wind turbines development in Polish waters of the Baltic Sea. In March, the Coordinating Council for Offshore Wind Energy was established. […]

No tie in proceedings for permits for offshore wind farms in Poland

In the list of legislative works of the Polish government there appeared an announcement of a draft amendment of the Act on sea areas of the Republic of Poland and the maritime administration. The project assumes regulation of a situation of a tie in the resolving  proceedings for applications for permits to build artificial islands and structures in Polish maritime areas. The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure has authored a bill (No. UD361) to introduce important provisions for the sector, including offshore wind energy. As the description to the bill reads, the planned changes primarily affect Chapter 4 in Division [...]

Pertti Tapio: Metsähallitus’ goal is to complete the selection of an offshore wind partner in 2022

Finnish state-owned company Metsähallitus is currently working on the Korsnäs offshore wind farm project, which will be built in 2028 at the earliest. We asked Metsähallitus wind energy project leader Pertti Tapio about the progress.  In the first phase of the Korsnäs offshore wind farm project, 70-100 turbines with a nominal capacity of 12-20 MW will be built. The Korsnäs project will therefore be the first large-scale offshore wind farm in Finland when it is completed around 2028. At this stage, the annual energy production from the offshore wind farm is estimated to be around 5,000 GWh. This would [...]

Development of offshore wind sector could help RePowerEU plan

The war in Ukraine, caused by Russia’s attack, has shown how damaging the toxic relationship between Europe and Russia is in the energy sector. The answer is REPowerEU – European Commission’s plan to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels by 2030. One of the pillars of action is RES investments. Offshore wind development, including in the Baltic Sea region, can effectively increase Europe’s energy independence. In May 2022, European Commission will provide guidance to national governments on improving the permitting process for RES projects. […]

ZE PAK considers using energy from offshore wind turbines to produce hydrogen

ZE PAK, a Polish company associated with the coal-fired power sector in Poland, has ambitious plans to transform its portfolio towards green energy. The company also wants to get involved in the development of offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea. The energy from wind turbines will be used to produce, among others, green hydrogen, the Polish company confirms to our portal. […]

ZE PAK and Ørsted apply for new location permits for wind turbines development in the Baltic Sea

ZE PAK, one of the leaders of Poland’s energy transition, and Ørsted, a leader of offshore wind energy, have signed an agreement and will jointly apply for location permits to build wind farms in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. If they are successful, they will create a regional Fund for Just Transition in Eastern Wielkopolska with a budget of about 50 million PLN (10 million Euros) to help coal-dependent regions in Poland. […]

Prof. Wolfgang Lukas: Business administration and management skills are increasingly coming to the fore

Offshore Wind Energy Centre was established at the Maritime University of Gdynia. Breakthrough management studies for offshore wind sector staff will be launched in Poland in March. The Polish university is carrying them out in cooperation with Hochschule Bremerhaven and Business Academy SouthWest – leaders of management and specialist programmes for the Offshore Wind Energy sector. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Lukas from the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences answers our questions about studies and education in offshore wind energy. […]

Gdynia will provide education of key personnel for the development of wind farms in the Baltic Sea

A groundbreaking Offshore Wind Energy Center has been established at Gdynia Maritime University. This is where the future workforce that will build the offshore wind sector in the Baltic Sea will be educated. In March, the first groundbreaking managerial studies are launched. We talk to the creators of the Executive Offshore Wind MBA in Poland. The Offshore Wind Energy Centre in Gdynia (CMEW) supports the development of offshore wind energy sector in Poland and in the Baltic Sea region through educational, training, and consulting activities. The key is training of qualified management and specialist personnel for the wind sector. Andrzej [...]

Construction of installation terminal for offshore wind farms in Gdansk to be completed in 2025

On 1 March 2022, Poland's Council of Ministers adopted a resolution amending the offshore wind farm installation terminal regulations. Originally, the government wanted to carry out the investment in Gdynia, but eventually decided on Gdansk. The new resolution was submitted by the Ministry of Infrastructure. The installation terminal is to be built in the Port of Gdansk. It is scheduled to be completed on 1 June 2025. A prerequisite for the successful development of offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea is the creation of adequate port facilities. The Port of Gdansk meets all criteria of the industry investors and [...]

Thimm: All the cornerstones for accelerated expansion of offshore wind should be laid

The Federal Association of German Wind Farm Operators Offshore (BWO) has referred to the latest industry results presented in a WindEurope report. – It is no longer news that surprises anyone. And yet it is always shocking to read in black and white where we are and where we want to go – where we need to go to achieve the common European climate goals, says Stefan Thimm, Managing Director at BWO. […]

Dainius Kreivys: Record energy consumption and geopolitical tensions show that we need to accelerate green energy development

In the current tense geopolitical situation in the region, the development of local electricity generation becomes even more important not only for energy independence but also for national security, Lithuania’s Energy Ministry points out. Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys says, bearing in mind the growing demand for energy, that Lithuania needs to increase its domestic electricity generation capacity as soon as possible. […]

Offshore wind investors announce action amid war in Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is progressing, and companies are beginning to take first steps toward abandoning relationships with Russian Federation entities. Offshore wind investors in Europe, including in the Baltic Sea region, are making their first statements in the area, amongst them are Norway’s Equinor and Denmark’s Ørsted. On BalticWind.EU we will observe investors’ actions in connection with the conflict in Ukraine. […]

Geopolitical tensions increase the need for discussion about wind farm protection

The war in Ukraine, sparked by Russia’s invasion of the country, raises critical infrastructure protection issues. There is a growing number of wind farms in their inventory. The aggressor in the form of Russia also has influence in the Baltic Sea region. The growth of distributed energy sources increases the need for investment in systems protecting against cyber and physical attacks. […]

Ocean Winds: We have submitted 9 applications for new offshore wind farm sites in Poland

The Baltic Sea is becoming increasingly popular among foreign investors. The Baltic Sea is seen as a body of water offering opportunities for the development of offshore wind farms based on floating wind platforms. We ask Ocean Winds about their plans for the Baltic Sea. The company informed us that on 14 February 2022, ENGIE with EDP Renewables, with advisory support from Ocean Winds, have submitted 9 applications for new sites for offshore wind farms. […]

Poland changes plans – installation port to be built in Gdansk instead of Gdynia

The fate of the offshore wind energy installation terminal in Poland has been in question for over a year. There was even a resolution on this issue in 2021, but in the list of legislation works of the Polish government a new resolution appeared, which this time locates the installation port in Poland in Gdansk, and not in Gdynia, as originally assumed. […]

Europe installed 17.4 GW in wind turbines in 2021. There are big ambitions, but achieving them proves itself harder

According to a recent report by European Wind Energy Association WindEurope, 17.4 GW of new wind energy capacity will be installed across Europe in 2021, bringing the total installed capacity to 236 GW (offshore and onshore). In the EU-27, 11 GW have been installed. Europe is only building half the wind power capacity needed to meet the European Green Deal targets, according to the industry organization. […]

Ignitis Group: The offshore wind as a huge opportunity

The Baltic Sea will be one of the European regions supporting the energy transformation of the European Union. Particular potential is seen in offshore wind energy, and Ignitis Group is interested in its development. We asked the company about specific plans. The company commentary was published in our quarterly report LITHUANIA Q4 2021. […]

A study: road noise is more harmful than wind turbines noise

Opponents and skeptics of wind energy development, particularly onshore, often have concerns about the impact of wind turbines noise on humans. Resistance to this is particularly found among local communities. Recent studies have not found wind turbine noise to be associated with disease or disease symptoms. […]

Poland launches three more licensing procedures for offshore wind in the Baltic Sea

Poland's Vice-Minister for Infrastructure Marek Gróbarczyk has announced that Poland is launching further concession proceedings for three new sites in Polish waters of the Baltic Sea. As a result, localization procedures are currently underway for 9 marine areas. Vice-Minister Gróbaczyk tweeted that the ministry has "three more locations for the law on promoting electricity generation in offshore wind farms." He added that Offshore wind energy is one of the fastest growing segments of the RES sector in Europe. https://twitter.com/marekgrobarczyk/status/1494707473835565072?s=20&t=p1dFWfMfMkXOR8KoiP-JBA According to the infrastructure ministry's website, the new announcements - 7/2022, 8/2022, 3/2022 - are for marine plots of 91.2 square [...]

Jerzy Buzek: Offshore wind energy needs “all hands on deck”

The Parliament voted a few days ago on the report on the EU strategy for offshore renewable energy, prepared and adopted by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. The document was finally adopted. – Offshore wind energy needs “all hands on deck”. Firstly, it is about exploiting the potential of every European basin. I wanted the Baltic Sea to be mentioned in this context in the resolution of the European Parliament – this is what happened – said Jerzy Buzek, Member of the European Parliament, Chairman of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and former President of [...]

European Parliament adopts EU strategy for offshore renewable energy sources

Today at a meeting of the European Parliament, MEPs adopted a strategy for the development of offshore energy in Europe. This is a watershed moment for the offshore wind industry. The document sets ambitious goals for the development of this industry in Europe. The report was approved by 518 votes to 88, with 85 abstentions. […]

Morten Petersen: The offshore renewables strategy will help to fulfill large CO2 reductions

During the February 2022 plenary session, Parliament voted on an own-initiative report on the EU offshore renewable energy strategy, as prepared and adopted by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. This constitutes Parliament’s response to the Commission’s strategy paper on the subject, adopted in November 2020 as part of the European Green Deal. Finally, the offshore strategy has been adopted. We asked MEP Morten Petersen (Renew, DK) rapporteur in ITRE.  […]

Synchronization of Lithuania’s system with the European continental grid will expand RES development opportunities

Litgrid, the Lithuanian electricity transmission system operator, said it is receiving an increasing number of requests from developers to investigate the possibility of connecting new wind or solar power plants to the transmission grid. The operator argues that Litgrid’s preparations for the synchronization process and other system development projects will help ensure transmission grid reliability as more renewable generation capacity becomes connected to the grid. […]

First foundations for hydrogen era in Lithuania are being laid

Lithuania is preparing a national map of hydrogen technology development. The Ministry of Energy of Lithuania informs that after a comprehensive analysis, independent foreign experts, working with Lithuanian institutions and companies, will present possible solutions for the hydrogen value chain. This is an opportunity to implement green hydrogen production technology using energy produced by wind farms in the Baltic Sea. […]

Urtė Daškevičiūtė: The most important is the clarity and transparency in the offshore tendering processes 

While some developers in the wind energy sector have a lot of experience with onshore wind parks, they lack experience with offshore wind parks. For this reason, local companies cooperate with foreign companies in order to make the best use of local market knowledge and offshore wind industry experience – said Urtė Daškevičiūtė, Executive Director of Lithuanian Wind Power Association, in an interview with BalticWind.EU. The interview was published in our quarterly report LITHUANIA Q4 2021. […]

Energinet consults on new model of fees for transmission grid expansion

Danish transmission operator Energinet said that a new model for paying power producers for transmission network development costs is out for consultation. The new solution is expected to contribute to the efficient use of RES sources and their installation where network capacity is much larger. […]

Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska: We want to be a leader of offshore wind development in the Baltic Sea

PKN Orlen has big aspirations to develop offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea, not only in Poland. -The potential of the Baltic states’ markets is over 20 GW and, of course, if there are such opportunities, we will be interested in being present on the Latvian and Estonian markets. As in the case of the Lithuanian market, we are conducting analyses in these countries as well – said Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska, PKN ORLEN Offshore Wind Farms Office Director, in an interview for BalticWind.EU.  Reat the BalticWind.EU Country Report LITHUANIA Q4 2021. […]

Polish investors fight for further offshore wind concessions in the Baltic Sea

The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure has launched further administrative procedures related to the granting of concessions for new offshore wind sites in Polish waters of the Baltic Sea. In particular, the rivalry between the two largest companies - PKN Orlen and PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, which are already developing the first offshore farms in Poland - is getting tougher. ORLEN Group informed in its announcement of 2 February this year that it applied for 7 new concessions for construction of wind farms on the Baltic Sea. After launching another stage of administrative procedure the company will apply for granting [...]

Support scheme and concept for the 2nd offshore wind project – the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy targets for 2022

Lithuania, as one of the Baltic countries, wants to use the opportunities of offshore wind energy development. The first offshore wind farm will be built by 2030, while renewables auction for the first offshore wind farm is planned for 2023. Offshore wind could cover up to a quarter of the energy consumed in the country. We ask the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy about the challenges and plans for 2022. Read BalticWind.EU Special Report Lithuania Q4 2021. Lithuania plans to build a 700 MW wind farm in the Baltic Sea that would generate up to 3 TWh of electricity, equivalent [...]

NABU: German marine zoning plan to the detriment of nature conservation

January 26 this year, The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has unveiled the first draft of a new Site Development Plan (FEP). The document regulates offshore wind energy development in Germany. Environmental organization NABU is concerned about increased conservation conflict and is calling for adjustments to protect endangered seabirds and porpoises. […]

A thaw coming in Germany’s offshore wind energy? Several questions remain unanswered

In January 2022, the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) presented first concrete plans at a meeting with representatives of the offshore wind industry. Managing Director of the industry organization BWO, Stefan Thimm, comments that this is a positive development, that the industry did not dare to dream about just a few months ago. – That momentum should now be harnessed to pursue new goals, he argues. […]

Ørsted to launch H2RES electrolyzer demonstrator in the first half of 2022

Danish energy company Ørsted said in its latest 2021 report that the 2 MW H2RES electrolyzer demonstrator, which uses energy from offshore wind farms, will be activated in the first half of 2022. In May 2021, Dan Jørgensen, Denmark's The Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities , led the ceremony of laying a cornerstone under the H2RES project, kicking off construction of Ørsted's first green hydrogen project using renewable energy. H2RES will have a capacity of 2 MW and will be located at Ørsted's site at Avedøre Holme in Copenhagen. The project will investigate how to best combine [...]

Next companies join the race for new offshore wind concessions in Poland

We reported on BalticWind.EU that on 21 January 2022, Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure published three announcements regarding new concessions for offshore wind energy. Several companies have declared their will to take part in the proceedings, others have already submitted applications. Competition in the Polish Baltic Sea area is intensifying. […]

GWO: The offshore wind industry can expect rapid expansion of global standard training

Offshore wind is moving fast and the workforce behind it is developing rapidly. Global Wind Organisation is at the heart of workforce development with a mission to ensure an injury-free working environment in wind. We spoke to GWO chief executive Jakob Lau Holst to ask him about the offshore wind industry’s key workforce development issues in 2021 and for some insights on what to expect in 2022. Read the text from the series “Key offshore wind stories 2021/2022” on BalticWind.EU. […]

Marco Nix: Offshore hubs and hybrid wind projects could lead the way towards an increasingly growing meshed offshore grid

Electricity grid operators play a key role in offshore wind development. The future of wind turbines in European seas depends on the work and development of the grid. German operator 50Hertz knows this very well. Marco Nix, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of 50Hertz, responsible for the offshore business, answers BalticWind.EU questions. Read the text from the series “Key offshore wind stories 2021/2022” on BalticWind.EU. […]

Poland launches another concession granting procedure for offshore wind

On 21 January 2022, Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure published three announcements regarding new offshore wind energy concessions. Three additional offshore areas will soon be available to next operators. Some companies have communicated that they will not participate in the concession proceedings, while others have already confirmed their participation. […]

Cristina Fernandez: 2022 will be a year of continued delivery for the offshore wind, and for Vestas it will be no different 

On BalticWind.EU we ask the offshore wind industry about the highlights of 2021 and the companies’ plans for 2022. Cristina Fernandez, Sales Director, Offshore Sales East in Vestas, said in a commentary the award of 5.9 GW of offshore wind and the signature of the Offshore Sector Deal in Poland has been a key moment, as have the first steps being taken in Norway to identify leasing areas for offshore wind. – Finally, the interest being shown by several countries, such as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Finland, in properly starting to develop offshore wind [...]

Polish-Lithuanian summit talks on development of offshore wind energy

Minister of Climate and Environment of Poland, Anna Moskwa, met with Vice-Minister of Energy of Lithuania, Daiva Garbaliauskaitė. The meeting, which took place on January 13, 2021, concerned the possibility of cooperation in the area of gas energy and RES, in particular offshore wind energy. […]

Offshore wind energy investors call for reforms in Sweden

Offshore wind power is needed to meet the growing electricity demand, argues Swedish wind energy association Svensk Vindenergi. The investors call for several reforms to accelerate the development of wind turbines in offshore areas. […]

BSH wants to designate additional areas for offshore wind farms Consultations are ongoing

The German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) started the procedure for updating the marine spatial plan for offshore wind energy development (FEP) in December 2021. Comments can be submitted until January 18, 2022. The German government’s goal of expanding 70 GW by 2045 requires the development of additional areas in the Baltic and North Seas. […]

Sweden could lead the Baltic region in ‘green’ steel production

Produkcja stali i morska energetyka wiatrowa to dwa obszary, które są coraz bardziej zależne od siebie. Nie będzie wiatraków bez stali, natomiast „zielonej” stali – bez produkcji OZE i bezemisyjnego wodoru. Pierwsze kroki w bezemisyjnej produkcji stali poczyniła Szwecja i to właśnie ten kraj może zostać liderem regionu Morza Bałtyckiego w tym obszarze. Rozwijając wiatraki na morzu można wykorzystać potencjał Szwecji. […]

Electric City 2021 participants voted the most promising startup in the wind sector

The Electric City 2021 conference was the perfect opportunity for startups to showcase their latest innovations in the wind sector within the ‚Innovation Park’ block. The winner was Anker Foundations – the startup received the ‚Best Startup Award’ for its innovative, sustainable solutions in the development of prefabricated foundations for wind turbines. […]

What is the European wind industry talking about? More plans, but bigger challenges

An exciting edition of the Electric City 2021 conference in Copenhagen is behind us. The industry was able to meet in person after a difficult pandemic period for all and talk about the near future of wind energy in Europe. We have already achieved a lot – approaching 200 GW of installed wind power. The question is – what next? Here are the most important topics discussed in the industry. Read our special report about Electric City 2021. […]

Geophysical and environmental studies for Södra Midsjöbanken wind farm completed

German energy company RWE has announced that geophysical and environmental studies for the Södra Midsjöbanken offshore wind project have been completed. This is RWE’s largest project in the Nordic region, involving the construction of an offshore farm about 100 km from the Swedish mainland towards the Polish border. The total installed capacity will be up to 1600 MW. […]

A new Nordic RCC A/S company will be established to coordinate the Nordic electricity system

The Danish operator said that together with the other Nordic transmission system operators – Statnett, Svenska Kraftnät, and Fingrid – it has decided to set up Nordic RCC A/S to coordinate the operational planning of the entire Nordic power system. Nordic RCC A/S will be formally established in 2022 with headquarters in Ørestad, Copenhagen, where the Nordic RSC centre office has been located until now. […]

Korsnäs offshore wind farm project underway

Finland currently has an offshore wind farm project in Korsnäs, on the southwest coast of Finland, 15 km from the coast. In early 2022, work will begin on the environmental impact assessment and zoning of the installation. […]

Finland to lease offshore wind areas to developers in auction

The Finnish Ministerial Committee for the Economic Policy approved a proposal for an auction model to be used to lease public water areas managed by Metsähallitus. The aim is to accelerate the development of offshore wind projects under market conditions. The first auctions will take place in late 2023 or early 2024. […]

Offshore wind energy may play a significant role in the production of green hydrogen in Poland

Experts from the Lower Silesian Institute for Energy Studies (DISE Energy) and the Polish Wind Energy Association have prepared a report on the green hydrogen production potential in Poland. By 2040, there is a realistic chance that electrolyzers above 20 GW will meet hydrogen demand. For this to be possible, RES generation should be over 60 GW. Offshore wind farms can play a significant role. […]

Higher than triple increase of global offshore wind capacity by 2026

Increase in global electricity generation capacity of wind turbines is on track to accelerate in the coming years. Experts of the International Energy Agency forecast record growth of RES in the world. Total offshore wind capacity is projected to more than triple by 2026. […]

EU plans and the wind potential of the Baltic Sea. BalticWind.EU to attend CPMR Baltic Sea Commission meeting

On 8 December, there will be a meeting of the Working Group for energy and climate of the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission. The topic of the meeting are the opportunities of offshore wind energy development in the Baltic region. We will be represented at the meeting by Paweł Wróbel, Managing Director of BalticWind.EU, who will talk about the European Union’s plans for offshore wind energy and the implications of it. […]

Holger Matthiesen moves from RWE Renewables to Aker Offshore wind

The Norwegian developer of the offshore wind sector has announced that Holger Matthiesen, who until now has been acting as Head of Offshore Wind Development Scandinavia, Poland & Baltics in RWE Renewables, has joined the Norwegian tycoon developing offshore wind farms in floating technology, […]

A safe Baltic without chemical weapons and shipwrecks? Poland does not want to be indifferent

#BalticForGenerations – is an initiative of the Polish energy company Enea and the UN Global Compact Network Poland, which aims to protect the waters of the Baltic Sea. Hundreds of thousands of tons of classic munitions, chemical weapons and shipwrecks filled with fuel lie on the seabed. The remnants of World War II pose threats to the Baltic ecosystem, but they are also a financial and environmental challenge to the offshore wind industry. […]

2 GW more of offshore wind by 2030 – new Danish agreement

Denmark’s Finance Ministry said that the Danish government, together with the political parties, has reached a partial agreement on the 2022 budget bill. Politicians expressed the need for more investment in offshore wind energy. It was agreed to expand offshore wind turbines by an additional 2 GW by 2030. The agreement was presented on Saturday, December 4. […]

Three German companies combine their forces in the offshore wind sector

Three German companies – OWS Off-Shore Wind Solutions (OWS), Dipl.-Ing. H. Sitte & Co. Schiffsinstallationen KG, Dipl.-Ing. H. Sitte & Co. KG, Dipl.-Ing. H. Sitte & Service KG (Sitte) oraz Wind Multiplikator (WM) – announced a global partnership in the offshore and onshore wind sector. […]

French, Dutch and Canadian companies interested in offshore wind farm in Lithuania

Representatives of the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy informed during the international Electric City 2021 conference that the construction of an offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea is in high demand. Among the companies are TotalEnergies Renewables of France, Van Oord Offshore Wind of the Netherlands, Northland Power of Canada. BalticWind.EU was a partner of the event in Copenhagen. […]

Fingrid has published a plan to develop grid by 2031. Increased forecasts for wind power

Finnish electricity system operator Fingrid has published its Grid Development Plan 2022-2031, which sets out the principles of grid planning, grid development needs and planned investments for the next ten years. The operator is also increasing forecasts for wind power development, but this raises challenges in expanding the north-south transmission grid. […]

Denmark and Lithuania discuss offshore wind energy development in Klaipeda

Today in Klaipeda starts the”Offshore industry in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea: get ready for business”conference, which will bring together representatives of the offshore wind energy sector from Denmark and Lithuania, as well as parties interested in the development of the industry. According to Danish Ambassador to Lithuania Hans Brask, Lithuania and Klaipeda can become flagship centres for the development of offshore wind energy projects in the Eastern Baltic region. […]

PGE Baltica without Monika Morawiecka

Monika Morawiecka, CEO of PGE Baltica, announced on her Linkedin profile that she is leaving PGE Baltica, a company responsible for the development of offshore wind farms in Polish waters of the Baltic Sea. The information was confirmed by PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna. […]

Recycling, net-zero 2050, grid development – wind industry talks in Copenhagen

Yesterday the entire wind industry came to Copenhagen to discuss the transformation of energy systems, in particular wind energy. BalticWind.EU is one of the media partners of the event. Our representatives are meeting and talking to industry representatives about the challenges facing wind energy, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. Recycling of blades and other components, climate neutrality by 2050 and infrastructure development are among the key themes that shine through. […]

Estonia seeks inspiration and cooperation with Norway in offshore wind energy

Representatives of Estonian companies, looking for opportunities to develop offshore wind industry, paid a visit to Norway in order to learn about Norwegian industry and offshore potential. Estonia hopes to improve cooperation between offshore partners in the Baltic Sea region. The visit was announced by the Estonian Investment Agency (EIA). […]

Åland Islands with huge potential for offshore wind energy development

Experts from Finland’s LUT University have mapped the offshore wind energy potential in the Åland Islands for the local authorities. As it turns out, the region has huge potential for offshore wind development. A large wind farm could cover half of Finland’s current electricity production. […]

Estonian Maritime Spatial Plan completed

The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Estonia has announced that the final draft of the Estonian Maritime Spatial Plan has been prepared. The document will be available to the public for a month and will be submitted to the government for adoption at the end of the year. The plan sets out principles for the various uses of the sea and establishes conditions and guidelines for new prospective ways to use the sea. In total, more than 20 conditions have been set for wind energy. […]

Klintholm port to be expanded to accommodate more wind turbine operators

30 Zealand wind turbine owners visited Port Klintholm on 25 October, where the Danish trade association Wind Denmark held the last of this year’s five regional meetings, which in addition to Port Klintholm were also held in Vejle, Ikast, Vojens and Aalborg. As announced, Port Klintholm will be expanded to accommodate four to six wind turbine operators. […]

Offshore wind expenses chase the investments in oil and gas sector

According to the latest analysis from independent think tank Rystad Energy, offshore wind expenses (CAPEX) are increasingly filling the gap left by investments in the oil and gas sector. By 2030, investments in the offshore wind market could surpass investments in the oil and gas sector in several key markets. Some countries have already reached borderline levels. […]

Port’s „to be or not to be”. We already know about the Polish plan, faster action is needed

The Polish Offshore Wind Sector Deal signed on 15 September 2021 is another milestone in the development of this sector in Poland, next to the Act on the Promotion of Electricity Generation in Offshore Wind Farms of December 2020. This article is part of a series of comments on the main challenges to be met in order to make the plans contained in the sector deal a reality. It has been published in the Quarterly Country Report - Poland Q3 2021. Patrycja Rapacka: „Basis” for the Polish offshore wind sector, „condition” for the development of Polish wind turbines in the [...]

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners will become more involved in offshore wind energy

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) fund plans to invest €100 billion in RES assets by 2030. Investor representatives argue that swift political action is needed to accelerate the pace of RES development and achieve the Paris Agreement targets. This is particularly important in the context of the ongoing COP26 climate summit. CIP wants to increase its involvement in offshore wind energy. […]

Iberdrola plans to build Windanker wind farm in the Baltic Sea

One of the wind leaders, Spain’s Iberdrola, has summarised its financial results for the first nine months of 2021. Iberdrola has decided to exercise its right of first refusal on one of its wind projects. The 300 MW Windanker offshore wind farm project will be built in the Baltic Sea within the Baltic Hub. […]

Offshore wind energy at COP26 climate summit

The long-awaited climate summit in Glasgow - COP26 - kicked off on October 31. The venue for the meeting of decision-makers from around the world is significant - the UK is the European leader in the development of offshore wind energy, aiming to install 40 GW by 2030. Representatives from the wind sector will also attend the summit. Around 120 leaders met in Glasgow on Monday for the start of COP26, kicking off two weeks of global negotiations that will help determine whether humanity can take the urgent action needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. Britain's COP26 presidency is calling [...]

Dillinger continues to invest in monopile production

Dillinger, a German manufacturer of high-quality heavy plate, has announced that they will invest €56.5 million to expand production of super-heavy plate at Dillinger and to manufacture offshore foundations at Steelwind Nordenham. […]

Iris Baldursdottir, ENTSO-E: The offshore wind integration will not happen overnight

Offshore wind energy is one of the important pillars for the implementation of the EU Green Deal. The EC’s offshore RES strategy foresees the integration of 300 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050. This raises many challenges, in particular in terms of grid development, building new connections and at the same time maintaining energy security. – Instead of re-inventing the wheel, we should build on well established solutions and adjust them for offshore markets, system development, and system operations – comments for BalticWind.EU Iris Baldursdottir, independent consultant and a Senior Advisor at ENTSO-E, the [...]

Swedish fishermen concerned about offshore wind development plans

The Swedish government announced in October that electricity system operator Svenska Kraftnät would be tasked with expanding the transmission grid in offshore areas in connection with plans to develop offshore wind power. National fishermen were concerned about the announcements. They have issued a letter to the government on this issue. […]

OX2 will build the Galatea-Galene wind farm in Kattegat waters

Swedish RES developer OX2 has announced that the company is currently applying for Natura 2000 permits for the Galatea-Galene offshore wind farm. The installation will be built in the waters of Kattegat, off the coasts of Falkenberg and Varberg. […]

Palanga municipality concerned about the impact of offshore wind farms on tourism and landscape

Šarūnas Vaitkus, the Mayor of Palanga, Lithuania, addressed the state authorities with a letter concerning doubts about the development of offshore wind farms. Local politicians are concerned about the negative impact of offshore wind turbines on the landscape as well as recreational and tourism potential. "We strongly disagree!" - Vaitkus stressed in the letter. Vaitkus' letter is cited by Lithuanian media, including Vakarine Palanga. Mayor of Palanga is concerned that offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea will adversely affect the development of local tourism. "Wind power plants to be installed in the sea, at the height of Klaipeda [...]

Finland should explore ways to improve competitiveness of offshore wind energy

A few days ago, the Swedish government announced that it had instructed operator Svenska Kraftnät to begin preparatory work before expanding the offshore transmission grid for offshore wind development. Sweden’s plans have been addressed by the Finnish Wind Power Association, which states in a release that if Finland is late in creating a value chain for the sector, other countries like Sweden will overtake it. […]

Denmark to investigate possible expansion of Bornholm energy island

Danish energy islands are set to be one of the landmark projects in Europe. One of them will be built in the Baltic Sea. Ultimately, the infrastructure project will be connected to offshore farms of up to 2 GW. Danish operator Energinet has been ordered by the government to extend its current feasibility studies for plans covering 3 GW of capacity. This has to do with problems at the Hesselø offshore wind farm project, for which alternative sites are being sought. […]

We are analyzing business opportunities in terms of investments in the Polish offshore wind sector, states Michał Obiegała, BP

In September we reported on BalticWind.EU that energy concern bp is interested in investing in the Polish offshore wind energy sector. This was communicated by Michał Obiegała, Regulatory & Government Affairs Manager and Legal Counsel at BP, during the Economic Forum in Karpacz. Today the representative of BP Poland answers our questions. Obiegała stresses that Poland is placed high on the bp Capital Group’s list of priorities for offshore wind. […]

Lithuania holds talks on construction of second offshore wind farm with capacity of 700 MW

Vice-Minister of Energy of Lithuania Daiva Garbaliauskaitė attended the international conference “Baltic Offshore Wind Transmission” and a study visit to Denmark. During the event in Warsaw, she informed that the Ministry of Energy, together with the grid operator, is holding talks on the possibility of building a second offshore wind farm. With the development of wind turbines on the Baltic Sea, Lithuania envisages the production of ecological hydrogen. […]

Cloudberry wants to develop 2.5 GW wind farms in the Baltic Sea

Nordic company Cloudberry is planning to strengthen its business portfolio in the area of offshore wind energy. The target of the independent developer is the Baltic Sea. The Nordic renewable energy producer has hired Charlotte Bergqvist, who will assist Cloudberry in exploring investment opportunities. Cloudberry is an Oslo-based company active in the renewable energy market in the Nordic countries. It owns, develops and operates hydropower plants and wind farms in Norway and Sweden. Cloudberry also has an office in Karlstad, Sweden, which is located by the country's largest lake, Lake Wener. The developer has plans to build the 100 MW [...]

A chance of cooperation between Lithuania and Poland in offshore wind? Ignitis and PKN Orlen talks in progress

On October 8 a ceremonial meeting of the Polish government and the PKN Orlen company with representatives of the Lithuanian government was held in Mažeikiai, Lithuania. A new investment of Orlen in the form of deep crude oil processing in the refinery was announced. On the occasion of the meeting the representatives of both sides talked about the chances of cooperation in offshore wind energy sector. The Mažeikiai refinery is the most important asset of Orlen Lietuva, a subsidiary of PKN Orlen. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Assets Jacek Sasin announced the new investment worth EUR 600 million, [...]

Denmark considers new location for Hesselø offshore farm, Baltic Sea is among alternatives

The Danish Energy Agency has launched an analysis of alternative areas for the Hesselø offshore wind farm, which will be built as part of the 2018 Danish Energy Agreement. Preliminary studies of the seabed have shown that the originally assumed area has a soft clay bottom. If the seabed is found to be completely unfavorable, the farm could be built elsewhere. The Hesselø offshore wind farm is one of three offshore installations to be built under the 2018 energy agreement. In it, it was decided to build large-scale offshore wind farms of at least 800 MW each by 2030. [...]

Public consultation on Korsnäs offshore wind farm project begins in December

Finnish company Metsähallitus has announced that the developer of the Korsnäs wind farm will hold its first meetings with local residents in early December 2021. This will be the second offshore wind farm operating in Finland. The local dialogue with residents is about the offshore wind farm that will be installed near the municipality of Korsnäs, 15 km off its coast. The municipality approved the draft plans for the offshore farm in the fall of 2020. Now it's time for discussions with residents. The planning work, the permitting process and the construction of the wind farm could take several [...]

A key moment for Arcadis Ost 1 and Baltic Eagle. Ostwind 2 project receives final approval

German electricity system operator 50Hertz announced that it has received the final, long-awaited approval for its Ostwind 2 infrastructure project in mid-September 2021. The operator received the decision for a 700-meter cable section connecting the Arcadis Ost 1 transformer platform. Ostwind 2 is a project by German operator 50Hertz designed to connect the Arcadis Ost 1 and Baltic Eagle offshore wind farms to the German transmission grid. For this purpose, three offshore cable systems are being laid in the Baltic Sea. The cable routes are 85 km (Baltic Eagle) and 95 km (Arcadis Ost 1) long. They start at the [...]

Dillinger delivered 45,000 tons of heavy plates for Kriegers Flak project

September 6 proved to be a milestone for the Baltic Sea as the 604 MW Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm project was officially inaugurated. German steelmaker Dillinger boasted that it was the company that supplied the 45,000 tons of heavy plate needed for the monopiles used in the Kriegers Flak project. The popular Kriegers Flak project is an offshore wind power system in the Baltic Sea consisting of three wind farms. Each is located in the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of Denmark, Sweden and Germany, with a total area of 132 km2. The Danish Kriegers Flak farm is located [...]

Skepast&Puhkim to prepare environmental impact assessment for Liivi wind farm

Estonian energy company Eesti Energia has announced that work has begun on the environmental impact assessment of the Liivi offshore wind farm, which will be built in the waters of the Gulf of Riga. A consulting firm Skepast&Puhkim is responsible for preparing the assessment. The Liivi offshore wind farm will be located about 10 km from the island of Kihnu and 16 km from the city of Häädemeeste. The capacity of the installation will reach 1 GW and consist of 50-100 wind turbines. However, as we read on the project's website, this number may decrease as the turbine technology develops. [...]

Wind turbines expansion in the Baltic Sea requires international cooperation on bird conservation

BirdLife International, a global federation of organizations dedicated to the conservation of wild bird species, has prepared a complex study on the impact of offshore wind farms on bird populations in the Baltic and North Seas. The key is marine spatial planning, based on scientific research and expert knowledge. The report „Impact of offshore wind development on seabirds in the North Sea and Baltic Sea: Identification of data sources and at-risk species” states that Europe has a significant number of breeding and wintering seabirds. Many of them make annual long-distance migrations between their breeding and wintering grounds and seasonal [...]

Green Investment Group takes over Kattegatt offshore farm project in Sweden

Leading renewable energy developer Green Investment Group (GIG), has acquired the rights to the Kattegatt offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Falkenberg Municipality in the Halland region of Sweden. Green Investment Group, owned by investment giant Macquarie, has acquired the rights to the Kattegatt offshore wind farm from investor Agrivind AB. The 260 MW wind project will have the capacity to supply electricity to approximately 95,000 households. Once operational, the project is estimated to reduce Sweden's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 49 kt CO2 per year. Sweden has set a goal of producing 100 percent of its [...]

1.5 GW Skåne wind farm to be built in the Baltic Sea

Danish wind industry tycoon Ørsted has plans to build a 1.5 GW Skåne offshore wind farm. It has already completed an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project - documents are awaiting approval. The Skåne offshore wind farm will be located about 22 kilometers south of Skåne. The electricity will be able to cover half of Skåne's demand. The wind farm will play an important role in the region's electricity supply - it can supply power to approximately 700,000 households per year. The project area covers 450 km2, where the conditions for wind power are very good. The application [...]

Obstacles on Polish way to 11 GW offshore wind energy (RELATION)

BalticWind.EU was an institutional patron of the 7th Energy Congress organised by the think-tank DISE Energy. Our representative, Managing Director Paweł Wróbel, together with industry representatives and experts from the offshore wind sector, discussed the development of offshore wind energy in Poland. They all agreed that the road to the planned 11 GW is still long, but also full of challenges Kamila Tarnacka, Vice President of the Polish Wind Energy Association summed up the state of offshore wind energy development in terms of regulations. The market basis was the adoption of the Act on the Promotion of Energy Production [...]

Wind Denmark calls for green energy policy plan

Danish wind energy association Wind Denmark presented a series of proposals to accelerate the expansion of wind and solar power at the Vindtræf 2021 industry conference. Denmark needs huge amounts of energy from RES to meet its growing electricity demand by 2030. "Wind Denmark estimates that 70-110 billion kWh of electricity will be needed in 2030 if Denmark wants to meet its climate targets and realize its business potential as an exporter of green energy and PtX (Power-to-X) products. This would mean the need to produce 3-4 times more renewable wind and solar energy in 2030 than is currently in [...]

The offshore wind energy potential in Germany exceeds 60 GW

The German OFFSHORE-WINDENERGIE foundation has prepared an analysis of the demand and potential for the production of green hydrogen in combination with offshore wind energy in Germany. Calculations show that based on the new maritime spatial development plan, more than 60 GW of offshore capacity can be installed if all available options are used. […]

The first electricity from the Utposten 2 wind farm could flow in 2025

Anders Sandin asked the editorial board of Gefle Dagblad questions about offshore wind energy in Sweden. “I think no one is against offshore wind energy, but many are against destroying the environment to save it,” he says. Svea Wind Offshore relates in response to the implementation of the Utposten 2 project. […]

Offshore wind energy in Poland – challenges and threats (REPORT)

2021 turned out to be a breakthrough for the Polish offshore wind energy industry. The first legal regulations for the sector appeared, the Energy Regulatory Office granted support for five projects in the Baltic Sea. The industry in Poland is no longer asking whether offshore wind energy will be developed, but how it will be implemented in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. One of the debates was attended by our representative Paweł Wróbel, Managing Director of BalticWind.EU. […]

DNV: The offshore wind energy market in Poland is evolving and our role is to support it

The independent assurance company DNV was selected to certify the Baltic Power offshore wind farm project – one of the first offshore wind farms in Poland. We talk with company representatives about the prospects for the development of this sector in the Baltic Sea, the challenges of the newly emerging offshore wind market and the essence of the certification in the process of building wind farms. […]

What will the offshore wind industry be talking about in the fall?

The period of vacations and holiday trips is slowly coming to an end, and the conference season and the upcoming fall are taking shape ahead of us. Our editorial staff of BalticWind.EU noticed that despite the holiday season, the offshore wind energy industry did not slow down and is optimistic about the coming years. What topics will dominate in the coming months? Here are our editorial four. […]

Michal Olszewski: The offshore wind construction projects are exposed to various risks

– The insurers must take into account many more potential risks – such as the risk related to the use of vessels, heavy cranes or e.g. the risk associated with varying wave heights. Due to the above-described reasons, the insurance market has created insurance terms and conditions dedicated and specific to offshore wind construction and operation projects – explains in an interview with BalticWind.EU Michal Olszewski, Energy Power and Mining Director and insurance/reinsurance broker in GrECo Polska. […]

High steel prices can hit the offshore wind energy

Steel is an essential element in the development of renewable energy sources - there is no doubt about that. However, its significantly increasing price may be reflected in higher wind project implementation costs. The coming years will be a test for wind developers and manufacturers of wind turbines components. The rise in steel prices, driven by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, EU import tariffs, and plans to introduce a carbon tax in the sector, is suspenseful (steel producers account for around 10 percent of global CO2 emissions). There is pressure on steel producers to reduce pollutant emissions. Hence, huge [...]

Huisman will provide improved installation tools for the Orion ship

Huisman, a global supplier of technical solutions, has signed a contract with DEME to supply installation tools for the Orion vessel used in offshore wind energy. The Orion installation vessel will operate, among others, at the Arcadis Ost 1 offshore wind farm in Germany in the Baltic Sea. Huisman and DEME specialists recently worked together to optimize the design of installation tools in terms of the safety and efficiency of monopile installations. The unique solution enables hands-free operation of monopiles by remote control. The lift is designed for the installation of new generation monopiles and can be extended to handle [...]

Denmark has started environmental research at the energy island construction site

The Danish transmission operator Energinet has commissioned environmental studies to be carried out by Niras and Rambøll at the site of the two energy islands in the Baltic and North Seas. In the coming years, the populations of marine mammals, fish and birds during different seasons of the year are to be surveyed. Rambøll will conduct environmental studies in the Baltic Sea in waters where offshore wind turbines will be installed 20 kilometers off the south coast of Bornholm. Denmark plans to harvest 2 GW of power from offshore wind farms approximately 20 kilometers off the south coast of Bornholm. [...]

Germany has started consultations on the expansion of the electricity grid

The German regulator, the Federal Transmission Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur - BNetzA), started consultations in August for the second draft network development plan for its expansion until 2035. The BNetzA also presented its assessment of the infrastructure development. The power grid development plan for 2021-2035 includes measures to expand the German transmission network, which are necessary to ensure secure electricity supplies until 2035. The necessary offshore transmission links are also identified in the network development plan. These calculations are based on the federal government's goal of accelerating the development of renewable energy. The current process of grid expansion is based on [...]

Port of Klaipeda is already adapted to the offshore wind energy sector

The countries of the Baltic Sea region are fighting for a high share of domestic companies in the development of offshore wind farms. Ports will play an important role, as they will be burdened with efficient installations of offshore wind farms. This also applies to Lithuania, which has great aspirations in the offshore wind sector. BalticWind.EU asks the Port of Klaipeda about opportunities and development prospects in the context of the emerging offshore wind energy industry. Recently, BalticWind.EU has published many publications on the emerging offshore wind energy sector in Lithuania. We spoke to government decision-makers such as Deputy Minister [...]

Experts from Société Générale to advise PGE on financing the Baltica 2 and Baltica 3 farms

The Polish state-owned company PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna has selected a financial advisor to arrange and obtain financing for the construction of the Baltica 2 and Baltica 3 offshore wind farms. It is the French investment bank Société Générale. The selection of the financial advisor was carried out on the basis of the Polish public procurement law in the form of sectoral negotiations with publication. 5 contractors submitted their requests to participate in the procedure. The Polish investor emphasizes that cooperation with an institution with an established position on the European financial market, such as Société Générale, proves that [...]

Hydrogen electrolysis at sea. Germany consults the criteria for assessing marine projects

On August 11, 2021, the German Ministry of Economy and Energy presented a draft regulation on the designation of other areas in the exclusive economic zone for energy production. This is about producing green hydrogen in Germany, where offshore wind power will play a major role. As we read on the website of the ministry, the German government has started a series of consultations with federal states and industry associations on the new regulations. The draft has not yet been finalized by the federal government. Comments can be submitted until August 25th. The Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG) contains [...]

New offshore wind regulations in Poland may exclude foreign companies

The Polish media reached the unofficial version of the ordinance of the Minister of Infrastructure on the assessment of applications submitted in the adjudication proceedings regarding, among others, the requirements that must be met by companies investing in offshore wind farms in Poland. The new regulations may exclude foreign and private concerns from investing in offshore wind energy in Poland. The Lewiatan Confederation, a business organization representing the interests of employers in Poland, referred to the matter. According to the unofficial version of the regulation, which the entire industry is waiting for, private and foreign companies will not be [...]

Polish recreational fishermen are concerned about the development of offshore wind farms

In countries planning the development of offshore wind farms, representatives of the fishing sector often protest loudly. Fishermen fear that the development of wind turbines will deprive them of their livelihood – wind turbines may be built in fishing areas or may limit their development. Similar voices are being raised not only in Estonia, but also in Poland. Not so long ago, we wrote in BalticWind.EU that in May 2021, the Estonian government presented a maritime spatial development project for public evaluation. Mart Undrest, the head of the Estonian Fishermen Association, referred to the plans for the development of offshore energy [...]

The Lithuanian government has adopted a conclusion on offshore wind energy

The Lithuanian Ministry of Energy announced that on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, the government supported the ministry’s motion to adopt regulations supporting the development of offshore wind energy. The regulations concern the conditions for the main tender and the scope of the contest winner’s liability. […]

The local content indicator in Polish wind farm projects in the Baltic Sea can reach as much as 50 percent

Polish decision-makers have long emphasized the issue of the involvement of Polish companies in the development of offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea. A report has been prepared which shows that the current potential of local content in the supply chain for offshore wind energy is estimated at 20-25 percent for projects that will be developed in the first stage (5.9 GW) and at approximately 45-50 percent in the next decade. […]