Operational Wind Turbines Installed at Poland's Initial Renewable Energy Facility, According to Our Website's Report
In a significant step towards Poland's energy transition, work on the Baltic Power offshore wind farm is progressing steadily. Jointly developed by ORLEN and Northland Power, this project marks Poland's first foray into offshore wind energy.
Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of ORLEN, announced that construction work has begun earlier this year, with more turbines rising in the Baltic Sea, supplying clean electricity to Polish households and industry. This is one of many ORLEN investments under the country's largest energy transition programme, worth up to PLN 380 billion.
The foundation elements for Baltic Power are produced by Polish manufacturers, with facilities in Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, the Tri-City area, Żary, and Niemodlin contributing to the project. No single foreign manufacturer is explicitly named for monopiles or transition pieces at Baltic Power.
The installation of monopile foundations and transition pieces is being managed by Baltic Power's project team, supported by local infrastructure. The steel structures for the offshore substations were manufactured in shipyards located in Gdynia and Gdańsk.
Belgium-based Smulders will supply the transition pieces (TPs) for the turbines, while the Svanen, operated by Van Oord, is responsible for the installation of monopiles, which will be delivered by Steelwind Nordenham.
Five Vestas V236-15.0 MW turbines have been installed at Baltic Power, marking a key role for turbine supplier Vestas, though not for monocores or transition pieces. The project's operations and maintenance (O&M) base was launched in Łeba in May.
Looking ahead, Orlen is preparing to develop additional offshore wind projects, with a combined capacity of around 5.5 GW, in the partnership format. One of these upcoming projects, Baltic East, is being prepared for Poland's December auction. Baltic East is another offshore wind project Orlen is planning to develop, with a total capacity estimated to be 6.7 GW.
This focus on leveraging domestic Polish industrial capacity for foundations and transition pieces in Baltic Power reflects a commitment to local industry and sustainable energy production.
- The smelting of transition pieces for the turbines at Baltic Power will be conducted by Belgium-based Smulders, contributing to the local industry's participation in the project.
- ORLEN's focus on utilizing domestic manufacturers for foundation elements, such as those produced in Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, and other regions, signifies a strategic investment in the Polish finance industry.
- Looking ahead to Poland's December auction, technology will play a crucial role in the development of Baltic East, another forthcoming offshore wind project planned by ORLEN, promising growth in the renewable energy industry.
