Gdynia to be the installation port of Polish wind farms on the Baltic Sea
Gdynia will be the installation port of Polish wind farms on the Baltic Sea. It is a great project of offshore wind energy, recognized as an epoch-making infrastructure project.
According to Port of Gdynia Authority, Polish offshore wind farms on the Baltic Sea have a chance to play a key role in Poland's energy transformation in a low-carbon economy, contribute to the country's energy security and help in the decarbonisation process.
Offshore wind farms are to be the main driving force behind the development of green energy in Poland in the next two decades. The draft national energy policy assumes that in ten years' time the share of RES in electricity generation should reach 32% and as much as 40% in 2040. Wind and solar power plants are to be mainly responsible for this growth. The ministerial bill assumes that between 2021 and 2040 about PLN 470 billion will have to be spent on the transformation of Polish energy sector. Renewable energy sources ivestments alone are to consume PLN 175 billion, of which the largest amount, 106 billion PLN, is to be spent on wind energy development. Due to the pandemic works on offsore act have been extented, but the plan is very ambitious to make it go to the Sejm after summer holidays and be adopted by the end of the year. The offshore development plan has also been adopted and investments will be implemented according to it. The quarantine period has caused a revaluation of the approach to the future economy. We often reduce climate neutrality to energy, but this also applies to sectors such as transport or industry, all of which generate new jobs in the COVID-19 era - 26 thousand new jobs (IMF sector) and 6 thousand new jobs (sectors related to the IMF).
“We have a great treasure in Poland - nature has endowed us with very good wind conditions on the Baltic Sea. Today, as we know, 80 percent of energy comes from coal, in the perspective of the development of the energy mix until 2030 we want to change this state of affairs. A large business ecosystem based on offshore wind according to the idea of local content in order to involve local companies that already have experience in this sector,” - said Ireneusz Zyska, Secretary of State, Government Plenipotentiary for Renewable Energy Sources. “Taking advantage of the investment boom is the key. We do everything to prepare the infrastructure well. The decision to choose an installation port is behind us. It will be Gdynia,” commented Zbigniew Gryglas, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of State Assets. “For a long time now, the Port of Gdynia has been very active in terms of possibilities of servicing the supply chain related to the construction and future operation of sea farms on the Baltic Sea. We regularly meet with stakeholders from the economic circles regarding the project of creating an offshore facility in Gdynia. At the same time, it is also necessary to have an official initiative of the economic milieus and investors, who can inform about potential needs and about the expected activities related to the offshore wind farms planned by potential investors," - comments Adam Meller, President of the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A.