ORLEN Group Secures Licences for Five Offshore Wind Sites in Poland

Planning & Permitting

October 4, 2023, by Adnan Durakovic

The ORLEN Group has received the Minister of Infrastructure’s final decision awarding licences for five new offshore wind farm development sites in the Polish Baltic Sea.

The decision marks the initiation of the project’s preparatory phase. The ORLEN Group’s forthcoming five offshore farms are planned to have a capacity of approximately 5.2 GW, generating sufficient clean energy to meet the needs of around eight million households, the company said.

Among the five licences awarded to the ORLEN Group, four are situated on the Oder Bank near Kołobrzeg, while the fifth is located on the Słupsk Bank.

The area adjoins the site of the Baltic Power wind farm, a collaborative endeavour between ORLEN and its Canadian partner, Northland Power. It stands as the most advanced offshore wind farm project currently underway in Poland, with a capacity of 1.2 GW, slated to commence electricity generation as soon as 2026.

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The recent licensing decision paves the way for the ORLEN Group to initiate preparations for its five new wind farm projects. The initial phase will encompass wind resource assessment, preliminary geotechnical surveys, and environmental impact assessments, all vital for the administrative and design procedures.

”Leveraging our experience gained from the Baltic Power project, we are well-prepared to quickly and effectively initiate preparations for five additional offshore projects,” said Daniel Obajtek, ORLEN’s CEO and President of the Management Board.

”Our operations are progressing as scheduled, even outpacing other investors who commenced offshore wind activities before us. We remain committed to launching the first wind farm in the Polish section of the Baltic Sea as per our initial plans. These subsequent projects are pivotal in bolstering Poland’s economic competitiveness and growth, centred on modern energy sources. Their successful execution will represent another stride towards enhancing Poland’s energy security and realising the ORLEN Group’s strategic ambition of achieving 9 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade.”

In addition to the Baltic Power project, the ORLEN Group is also building Poland’s first offshore wind farm installation terminal. Executed by ORLEN Neptun and situated at the Port of Świnoujście, the terminal is slated for completion in 2025. With its wharves and storage yards, it will be capable of handling and installing 15 MW or larger wind turbines. Initially catering to the Baltic Power project, it will subsequently support the implementation of projects by other developers and facilitate the ORLEN Group’s future ventures in the Baltic Sea, the company said.