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.
By implementing the sector deal, Poland aims to increase the participation of domestic entrepreneurs in the supply chain for offshore wind farms built in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Investments worth PLN 130 billion will translate into installation of around 11 GW in offshore wind farms by 2040. This will create a new industry in Poland.
On 15 March 2022, the Ministry of Climate and Environment held the first meeting of the Coordination Council for Offshore Wind Energy, operating under the sector deal. This is the next phase of work related to implementing the provisions of the sectoral agreement in this area. Today, more than 180 entities are already parties to the sector agreement. The Council is responsible for coordinating activities related to monitoring the achievement of the objectives of the agreement. To this end, working groups will be established for the parties to work together on key areas. The Council will also monitor the level of local content achieved by investors and supply chain stakeholders.
Poland’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Anna Moskwa, has appointed 34 members to the Coordinating Council. The Chairman of the Council became the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Government Plenipotentiary of RES, Ireneusz Zyska. The council will include representatives from such entities as Polish Wind Energy Association (PSEW), Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society (PTMEW), Centre for Sustainable Development of the University of Gdansk, Baltic Power (PKN Orlen), PGE Baltica (PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna), Polenergia, Equinor Poland, Industrial Development Agency, RWE, and TF Kable.
The Coordinating Council for Ministry of Wind Energy; Photo: Ministry of Climate and Environment
During the first meeting of the Coordinating Council, the Rules of Procedure of the Coordinating Council were adopted and Working Groups were established, which will begin their work in late April and early May. Six groups were established:
Group 1 – Staff Development and Education System;
Group 2 – Research and Development;
Group 3 – Development of Polish industry and participation of Polish enterprises (with exports);
Group 4 – Port hinterland logistics and impacts on coastal regions;
Group 5 – Social Education;
Group 6 – Stakeholder collaboration and regulatory environment
It is estimated that the Polish supply chain for offshore wind farms already includes more than 400 companies. The Polish government wants to involve domestic companies as much as possible in the construction of the new sector. Some of them are already operating on the international market.
Source: Ministry of Climate and Environment
