ORLEN NEPTUN has selected three Polish companies: MEWO, ORLEN Petrobaltic, and Geofizyka Toruń, to conduct geological seabed surveys for the Baltic East wind project concession area in the Baltic Sea. The offshore work will be carried out at a depth of approximately 35 meters and is expected to conclude by the end of this year. The information gathered will be used to create a preliminary technical design for the offshore wind farm. Polish companies are expected to have a 45% share in the realization of the Baltic East farm, which is planned to have a capacity of approximately 1 GW. This potential could provide zero-emission energy for about 1.25 million households.

“From the very beginning, we have strived to maximize the involvement of Polish companies in our strategic investments, as this drives the economy. The domestic value chain of the offshore wind energy sector is developing before our eyes. The construction of the first farm in the Baltic Sea, Baltic Power, relies over 20% on the knowledge and experience of Polish companies. In the second project, Baltic East, we aim for their participation to be at least twice as high,” says Ireneusz Fąfara, CEO of ORLEN.

The consortium of three companies—MEWO, ORLEN Petrobalbaltic, and Geofizyka Toruń—will perform geological-engineering, seismic, and laboratory tests for ORLEN Neptun. These studies will assess the strength and stability of the ground for the safe installation of wind turbine structures. The surveys will also enable the potential detection of objects such as unexploded ordnance.

Drilling to depths of up to 100 meters below the seabed, followed by laboratory tests, will precisely determine the composition and geotechnical parameters of the soil. These tasks will be carried out using various specialized vessels and are scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

“We are entering the next, very important stage of preparations for the Baltic East project, the second offshore wind farm in the ORLEN Group. We are not slowing down and are sticking to the planned schedule to successfully integrate additional wind power into the Polish electricity system within a few years,” says Janusz Bil, CEO of ORLEN NEPTUN.

In 2026, the ORLEN Group will launch the Baltic Power farm, the most advanced wind project in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. It will add nearly 1.2 GW of capacity to the Polish energy system, meeting approximately 3% of the country’s total electricity demand. Baltic East is an adjacent project with a potential installed capacity of nearly 1 GW, capable of producing energy for about 1.25 million households.

The concern also holds four more concessions for building wind farms in the Baltic Sea. With all acquired concessions, its total generation potential from offshore wind farms could reach approximately 6.4 GW of installed capacity. These projects align with the ORLEN Group’s strategy, which aims for 12.8 GW of installed capacity from renewable energy sources by 2035.

Source: Orlen