PGE and PKN ORLEN join forces to develop offshore wind energy in Poland

The Polish champions intend to jointly support the development of offshore wind energy, bearing in mind the positive impact of the development of this technology on the Polish economy, including maximizing the share of Polish suppliers and contractors.

As part of the cooperation specified in the Letter of Intent, information campaigns on the role of wind as an important energy source and promoting offshore wind energy in the country and abroad are also envisaged. The document includes:

• Exchange of know-how/information or joint acquisition of data necessary for the implementation of offshore wind farms;
• preparation for investments in maritime infrastructure and supply logistics, including the assessment of key parameters of the accessibility of Polish ports, the services they offer and readiness to handle the construction of future wind farms;
• potential cooperation in the design and construction of connection infrastructure, in consultation with the transmission system operator;
• coordination of activities aimed at meeting the requirements for the supply of materials and services in the offshore wind energy sector, provided that such requirements will be introduced by generally applicable law;
• joint or coordinated efforts to maximize Polish components in the offshore wind energy supply chain;
• analysis of the possibilities of providing services for the operation, maintenance and servicing of functioning farms in the Baltic Sea or associated infrastructure;
• coordination of public relations activities directed at key stakeholder groups, including conducting joint information and education activities on the importance of offshore wind farm projects for the country's energy security, as well as the benefits of implementing these projects in the economic, social and environmental dimensions.

"The goal of the initiated cooperation is to combine the potential of two national champions to implement key investments for the country's energy security and a gradual transition to a low-carbon economy. We hope that by using the synergy effect we will be able to accelerate the process, so that energy from windmills at sea powers the Polish power system as soon as possible," says Henryk Baranowski, president of the board of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna.

"We intend to use the value of offshore wind energy for the development of the Polish economy. We also want local communities to benefit from the implemented projects. We count on operational benefits, such as cost optimization, network and technical solutions, as well as maritime logistics. The partnership will also allow for unification and strengthening of communication, including through joint talks with social organizations and the suppliers of key elements," says Daniel Obajtek, President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN.

"According to PFR, the intention of cooperation of the two largest Polish energy companies on offshore wind energy is one of the best examples of investments in sustainable social and economic development of the country," says Pawe? Borys, President of the Management Board of the Polish Development Fund.

"Signing a letter of intent with PKN ORLEN does not mean a resignation from the assumed model of the offshore program implementation by the PGE Group. We are continuing the process of choosing a partner and, in accordance with the assumptions, we are planning to finalize it by the end of the year," says Monika Morawiecka, President of PGE Baltica.

"Wind farms perfectly fit into the PKN ORLEN energy mix. Energy production from wind farms will be balanced by production from flexible gas sources," says Jaros?aw Dybowski, Executive Director for Energy, PKN ORLEN.

Ultimately, both companies intend to implement the project with an international industry concern with experience in implementing this type of investment. Both in PGE and PKN ORLEN, procedures are underway to select strategic partners to participate in the preparation, construction and operation of concessions in the Baltic Sea.

PGE Baltica, the company responsible for implementing the offshore program in the PGE Capital Group, wants to build turbines with a total capacity of 2.5 GW by 2030, which will give it a leading position on the Polish offshore wind energy market. Currently, the company is coordinating three projects – Baltica 1 Wind Power Plant (EWB1), Baltica 2 Wind Power Plant (EWB2) which in January this year received a proposal from PSE for technical conditions for connection to KSE for 1.5 GW, as well as Baltica 3 Wind Power Plant (EWB3) with connection agreement with PSE for 1 GW. All three companies have location permits, whereas the procedure for obtaining an environmental decision for two of them is currently underway, namely EWB2 and EWB3.

On the other hand, at the beginning of this year, Baltic Power, responsible for the offshore wind energy project at PKN ORLEN, started environmental tests and measurements of wind conditions in the area of the concession held. The purpose of the work is to obtain a decision on environmental conditions and to determine the productivity of an offshore wind farm with a planned capacity of 1.2 GW. The analysed construction of offshore wind farms is one of the strategic development directions of the ORLEN Group for the coming years. The concern is one of the key electricity generators in Poland, and its assets, including two gas-steam blocks in P?ock and W?oc?awek, are a good source of balancing wind farms in the event of power shortages.