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Siemens Gamesa Preferred Supplier For Polish Offshore Wind Farms

Stavanger, Norway - In Poland, the expansion of offshore wind energy continues to gain momentum. Norwegian energy company Equinor and Polish partner Polenergia have selected a preferred wind turbine supplier for two projects.

While onshore wind energy in Poland is being slowed down by the introduction of the 10 H distance rule, offshore wind energy is on the rise. Currently, the first phase of the Polish development program for offshore wind energy is being implemented. Wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa is one of the participants.

Offshore wind energy in Poland: MFW Baltyk II and MFW Baltyk III with 1,440 MW capacity

Equinor and Polenergia have selected wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa as the preferred turbine supplier for the MFW Baltyk II and MFW Baltyk III offshore projects. The signing of the preferred supplier agreement is an important milestone, according to Equinor. Under the announced agreement, Siemens Gamesa will supply its SG 14-236 DD offshore flagship model. The offshore wind turbine has a rated output of 14 MW and can reach up to 15 MW with power boost.

The exact number of machines will be determined at a later stage of the development after the final turbine supply contract and service and warranty contracts are signed.

Polish offshore wind energy development program: implementation of the first phase

The installed offshore capacity of the two projects amounts to 1,440 MW, representing a significant part of the first phase of the offshore wind energy development program in Poland with a capacity of 5,900 MW. MFW Baltyk II and III have been awarded the Contracts for Difference (CfDs) remuneration system by the Polish Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) in May 2021. The planned offshore projects are located in the Baltic Sea, about 27 and 40 kilometers from the port of Leba, northwest of Gdansk. Equinor has acquired a plot for its future operations and maintenance (O&M) base port.

The final investment decision for both projects is subject to obtaining the necessary permits and is scheduled for 2024, with the first electricity delivered to the grid in 2027.

Wind energy in Poland

Poland currently has nearly 7,000 MW of onshore wind power installed. The previous record feed-in capacity was reached on Feb. 16, 2022, at 6,718 MW. Power generation and feed-in to the Polish grid climbed to 15 billion kWh in 2021. As of today (Feb. 23, 2022), Polish wind turbines have already generated 4.8 billion kWh of wind power since the beginning of 2022, more than twice as much as in the same period last year (2.3 billion kWh).

However, onshore expansion is currently faltering, with current additions only coming from projects started before the introduction of the 10 H distance rule. The Polish Wind Energy Association (PWEA) criticizes the rule. "There were almost no new wind investments in Poland after the effective date of the Act,” said Janusz Gajowiecki, president of the Polish Wind Energy Association. Gajowiecki continued: "Without liberalisation of the 10 H principle this year Poland, our customers and the economy will face serious issues. Uncontrolled price increases may be stopped only by construction of new onshore wind capacity. Otherwise the consequences may be grim in terms of electricity prices."



Source: IWR Online, Feb 02 2022