Poland Holds First Offshore Wind CfD Auction

Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (Urząd Regulacji Energetyki, URE) held the country’s first offshore wind auction on 17 December, offering 4 GW of capacity. The auction was held online, starting at 8:00 and closing at 18:00 (CET).

The country’s energy regulator announced a December auction in June this year, saying the maximum total installed capacity that may be eligible for an award was 4 GW. The winners will receive support under a two-sided Contract for Difference (CfD) for 25 years.

On 9 December, the President of the Energy Regulatory Office issued an updated auction notice, readying the process to kick off on 17 December as planned.

Earlier this year, Equinor and Polenergia submitted a pre-qualification application to URE for their Bałtyk 1 offshore wind farm project to participate in the first offshore auction in Poland. The offshore wind farm is planned to have an installed capacity of up to 1,560 MW.

In November, PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) announced that it had obtained environmental approval for its 900 MW Baltica 1 offshore wind project, clearing the way for its participation in the offshore wind auction.

Orlen Group has also secured the environmental permit for its 1 GW Baltic East offshore wind farm, and the developer said last month that the milestone brings the project closer to participation in the first Polish offshore wind auction.