RWE has submitted bids for five offshore wind seabed permits in the Polish Baltic Sea which the Polish Government has opened for a competitive process.
The Germany-based developer submitted bids for all five areas with a total capacity of 7.8 GW, including site 44.E1, located in the direct vicinity of its F.E.W. Baltic II offshore wind project.
RWE has developed a comprehensive concept for this particular offshore wind farm, named Sharco Duo, which is located northwest of the Słupsk Bank in the central Polish Baltic Sea.
According to RWE, the developer is expecting extensive synergies with its 350 MW F.E.W. Baltic II project and operational base in Ustka during the development, construction, and operation of Sharco Duo.
“Our concept for Sharco Duo consists of state-of-the art offshore wind technology combined with innovative solutions to build and operate the wind farm in harmony with the Baltic Sea ecosystem and to perfectly match the demands of the Polish energy system and reach full grid stability”, said Grzegorz Chodkowski , Vice President Offshore Development Poland at RWE Renewables.
RWE’s design concept for Sharco Duo supports the integration of the 1.8 GW offshore wind farm into the Polish energy system, including green hydrogen production – offshore and onshore – together with innovative electricity storage solutions.
The company is also planning to support biodiversity and enhance the local ecology, flora and fauna. To achieve that, RWE proposed the use of low-noise foundation installation systems and sustainable usage of recyclable components.
The Sharco Duo offshore wind farm, which is expected to produce its first electricity in early 2028, will be capable of producing enough green electricity to supply eleven million Poland homes per year.
RWE is also ready to place diversified bids for the other additional areas made available for offshore wind farms by the Polish Government. Seabed permits awarded out of this process have the chance to qualify and participate in Contract for Difference (CfD) auctions starting in 2025.
At the beginning of this month, RWE submitted a bid to build an offshore wind farm at the up to 1.5 GW site in the Polish Baltic Sea which the Polish Government opened for competitive process for a seabed permit.
In February 2021, Poland signed into law the Offshore Act which regulates the development of offshore wind farms in the Polish Baltic Sea.
The legislation allows for 10.9 GW of offshore wind capacity to be either operational or under development by 2027.