The Baltic Sea will become one of the main centers of electricity generation in the European Union in the coming years. Permitting has just been completed for the so-called Phase II, and the Polish Baltic Sea still has potential for locating more projects. This, in turn, is an opportunity for manufacturers and suppliers to develop their local supply chain, with the prospect of expanding services to other markets as well. Polish companies in cooperation with foreign entities can become a significant link in the European and global supply chain for offshore wind farms.
The offshore wind energy market in Poland, has been growing rapidly for several years. The new industry will benefit local content – that is, Polish companies involved in the production and supply chain. How to harness the potential of Polish entrepreneurs and how to measure the share of local content at individual developers will be one of the main topics of the upcoming Offshore Wind Poland Conference organized by the Polish Wind Energy Association on November 21-22.
Potential of Polish companies
Currently, only a few manufacturers with operations in Poland can offer offshore wind farms complete end products (e.g. marine cables, transformers). However, entrepreneurs forming a domestic supply chain have the potential to offer major building blocks in the near future, i.e. wind towers or underwater support structures. However, urgent and decisive investment actions are needed. In addition, due to the planned scale of offshore development, plants producing the main components of wind turbines (rotor blades, tower sections, generators) will be located in Poland. Moreover, offshore research, maritime and inland transportation, hotel and service facilities, and training also need to be included. This is an opportunity for Polish companies and ports, but also a multimillion-dollar outlay necessary to prepare for entirely new tasks.
– The key to a successful OWE strategy in Poland is first and foremost ambition in terms of offshore volume. Stable revenue regulations, support systems and streamlining administrative procedures, which today take too long, will also be needed. Looking at local content – here the main role will be played by partnerships with experienced players to lower the so-called CAPEX of new projects – stresses Janusz Gajowiecki, President of the Polish Wind Energy Association.
Experience and know how
Knowledge from more mature markets, ie. UK or Denmark, shows that using the experience and proven procedures of foreign developers will help build a strong offshore wind sector in Poland in a cost-optimal way while supporting the domestic industry.
One of the companies thriving in the offshore market in Poland is Ocean Winds, whose BC-Wind project is in an advanced stage of development and will be one of the first in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. The project has an environmental decision and grid connection conditions in place, and is now focused on contracting suppliers. It plans to start energy production in 2027.
– Ocean Winds has experience working with Polish companies. In the baseline scenario for the BC-Wind project, OW foresees a local share of about 30 percent in the supply chain in Poland. For example, the designer of the onshore station is a Polish company P&Q and PGNiG Gazoprojekt is involved in the preparation of documentation for the offshore export cables – points out Kacper Kostrzewa, Director of the BC-Wind project. We are confident that the scale of involvement of Polish companies, enterprises and research institutes will grow as projects develop in Poland. OW plans to gradually increase local participation depending on when and how Phase II and Phase III of the OWE develops – Kacper Kostrzewa adds.
Offshore Wind Poland Conference – comprehensively about offshore in Poland
Poland can and should be a leader in the development of offshore wind in the Baltic, because it is offshore wind energy that will have a huge impact on the country’s energy security. This year at the Offshore Wind Poland 2023 Conference in Warsaw, we will talk about what is needed to make the most of Poland’s potential, both in the context of energy production and industrial production – providing the right amount of components necessary for the development of offshore projects, as well as in the service area of domestic companies.
Offshore Wind Poland is a unique meeting that will be attended by key players in the offshore wind energy sector. The event will bring together investors, contractors, service providers, industry associations and politicians making decisions on offshore wind farm development. Thanks to cooperation between government and business, Poland can become an offshore leader in the Baltic and an exporter of cheap and clean energy. Registration for the events is now open.
Offshore Wind Poland 2023, November 21-22, Warsaw(www.konferencja-offshore.pl )
Source: PWEA
