GE and PKN ORLEN Forge Offshore Wind Alliance in Poland

GE Renewable Energy and Poland’s PKN ORLEN have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore ways to work together to support the development of offshore wind projects in Poland.

GE Renewable Energy is already an active player in the Polish wind market with over 300 onshore wind turbines delivering 900 MW, with almost half of that coming online since 2018.

LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business, also employs around 1,000 employees at its Goleniow onshore wind turbine blade manufacturing site.

”Poland is well positioned to use offshore wind resources to help accelerate the energy transition. The agreement that we are signing today charts a path to take pragmatic steps that can take full advantage of Poland substantial offshore wind resources to create win-win outcomes in terms of the environment and economic development,” Jérôme Pécresse, Senior Vice President, GE & CEO, GE Renewable Energy, said.

The government of Poland announced plans to award up to 10.9 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and offers new sea areas enabling the development of future offshore wind projects.

Poland’s offshore wind capacity is estimated to be 28 GW by 2050. The country is also well-positioned to serve the broader efforts to develop offshore wind in the Baltic region, GE said.

”We are implementing a strategy that assumes an increase in capacity from renewable energy sources to over 2.5 GW at the end of this decade,” Daniel Obajtek, President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN, said.

”We want to achieve this level mainly by investing in offshore wind energy and, at the same time, expanding the RES portfolio with additional capacity in onshore wind farms. The agreement we signed with GE Renewable Energy supports the implementation of these ambitious goals. The experience gained thanks to this cooperation and the joint involvement in the development of the Polish offshore wind energy sector will make a significant part of the developing offshore market a share of Polish capital in the upcoming concession procedure.”

PKN Orlen is currently developing the 1.2 GW Baltic Power offshore wind project in partnership with Canada’s Northland Power.

The project has recently secured a Contract for Difference (CfD) as part of the Polish government’s commitment, through the Polish Offshore Wind Act, to support an initial phase of 5.9 GW of offshore wind.

In the upcoming concession procedure, PKN ORLEN plans to acquire new locations, using its own and GE Renewable Energy’s knowledge and experience.