Nearly 150 companies operating in Poland took part in the first Supplier Day organised by Equinor and Polenergia for the Bałtyk 1 project. The high turnout and activity of the participants confirmed the enormous interest of domestic companies in joining the supply chain of the largest and most advanced investment in the second phase of offshore wind energy development in Poland. An important element of the meeting was the presentation of the experiences of Polish companies working on the ongoing construction of the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 projects.

The high level of interest in the Supplier Day for the Bałtyk 1 project and cooperation with the Norwegian-Polish consortium is a clear signal to investors that the domestic sector wants to play an active role in the development of offshore wind energy in the next phase. Equinor and Polenergia have ambitions for Polish companies to account for up to 45 per cent of the supply chain for the Bałtyk 1 project.

– We are impressed by the growing interest from domestic companies that have come forward to explore opportunities to participate in the Bałtyk 1 project. This is irrefutable proof that Polish companies want to build a new segment of the economy around offshore development, are using their existing experience from ongoing construction projects and want to actively participate in the country’s energy transition – emphasised Andrzej Popadiuk, Stakeholder Manager at Equinor Polska.

– Supplier Day for Bałtyk 1 is the first step for companies to learn about the opportunities to get involved in the largest and most advanced investment of the second phase of offshore development in Poland. It was an opportunity to learn more about the procurement packages and project requirements, as well as a space for discussions, which translates into real opportunities for cooperation. The participation of Polish companies in the investment may reach up to 45%, confirming the development of the industry – emphasises Grzegorz Kotte, Director of the Offshore Wind Farm Department at the Polenergia Group.

The event included a presentation of the planned purchase packages that will be the subject of tender procedures in the Bałtyk 1 project. These include engineering services, construction and assembly works, components and equipment for the wind farm, as well as solutions in the areas of logistics, IT and HSE. Thanks to valuable presentations, participants were able to learn not only about the scale of the project, but also about specific opportunities to get involved in its implementation.

The format of the meetings, previously used for the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 projects, effectively supports the building of business relationships and responds to the needs of Polish companies interested in participating in the supply chain. In addition, the presence of representatives from Equinor and Polenergia provided an opportunity for direct discussions and detailed information about the projects and investor requirements.

An important part of the meeting were the success stories of Polish companies cooperating with companies on the Bałtyk 2 and 3 projects. The experience gained during the implementation of the investments was presented by the following companies: ENPROM, Tele-Fonika Kable, Erbud, MAG Offshore and Smulders Projects Poland, operating in Poland.

These examples of cooperation show that Bałtyk 1 represents a real opportunity for other companies from our country to enter the offshore industry and thus build an important segment of the economy around offshore wind energy.

Bałtyk 1 is the largest and most advanced project of the second phase of offshore wind energy development in Poland. Its capacity will be up to 1,560 MW, which will allow it to supply green energy to approximately 2 million households. The project has key administrative decisions and a connection agreement with the transmission system operator PSE. In addition, the companies have already submitted an application to the Energy Regulatory Office for pre-qualification to participate in Poland’s first auction, thus starting the process of qualifying the project for the December auction.

Companies interested in exploring opportunities to join the supply chain for the Bałtyk 1 project can visit the ‘For suppliers’ tab and register using the form for potential suppliers at www.baltyk123.pl.

Source: OWF Bałtyk