Polish Deputy Climate and the Environment Minister, Ireneusz Zyska provided an update on his government’s progress in offshore wind energy development at the fourth meeting of the Coordination Council for Offshore Wind Energy (30 June).
During the meeting, the Minister noted that the first Polish offshore wind farms are expected to start operating in 2026. “The development of offshore wind energy is of strategic importance for strengthening the energy security of the country, but also for creating impulses for economic development. As part of the activities of the sectoral agreement, solutions are being developed that will ensure conditions for building a strong supply chain, with the key role of industry and research centres. The first electricity from wind farms in the Baltic Sea will flow as early as 2026,” he said.
The Coordination Council for Offshore Wind Energy Council is responsible for coordinating activities aimed at implementing the Sectoral Agreement for the Development of Offshore Wind Energy in Poland, which includes monitoring the progress of strategic goals, establishing working groups to foster collaboration between the involved parties, and monitoring the level of local content achieved by investors and entities involved in the offshore wind energy supply chain. The Council was initiated by Minister Zyska, following the signing of sectorial agreement 15 on September 2021.
“In order to fully use the energy from offshore wind farms, it is necessary to build a transmission infrastructure and an energy storage system and hydrogen electrolyses,” Deputy Minister Zyska added.
The Deputy Minister pointed out that the amendment to the Renewable Energy Act and other relevant legislation has increased the country’s ambitions in the installed capacity of offshore winds to 18 gigawatts (GW). He added that the updated Polish Energy Policy until 2040 document included the need to expand the transmission network in the north-western region of the country to facilitate the connection and output of offshore power.
He also reminded that amendments to the Energy Law Act and certain other acts adopted by the Sejm (lower legislative chamber) in June saw changes to the Offshore Act. These changes addressed provisions related to the obligations for the supply chain plan for materials and services, as well as reporting on its performance. The amendments extended the deadline for submitting the first report on the implementation of the plan from 6 to 18 months and ensured the protection of information classified as business secrets in updates and reports submitted to Poland’s President of the Energy Regulatory Office.
