The Baltic Power offshore wind farm is driving new investments

The first installation terminal in Poland located in Świnoujście and the Vestas turbine factory in Szczecin are new investments related to the Baltic Power offshore wind farm. The joint project of the ORLEN Group and Northland Power will use 76 modern 15 MW turbines from Vestas, the components of which will be manufactured in a new factory in Szczecin. The turbine factory, which will employ up to 700 people, will be completed in 2024, while the installation terminal of the ORLEN Group in the port of Świnoujście will start work in 2025.

From the beginning of preparations for the implementation of our first offshore wind farm, we have consistently strived to fully use the potential of the Polish economy. The decision to build an installation terminal in Świnoujście and a new turbine factory in Szczecin prove that offshore wind farms have a chance not only to revolutionize the national energy system, but also to be an impulse for the development of the entire region. In addition to the advanced Baltic Power project, we have also applied for 11 new concessions for offshore wind farms in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. This is a gigantic opportunity for our suppliers, as well as other cities, such as Gdańsk, where it is planned to build a second installation port, and Łeba, where a service port will be built by 2025. Strategic investments in infrastructure and the experience gained from cooperation with global leaders are the way to build a new, promising sector of the Polish industry - emphasizes Daniel Obajtek, President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN

The investment of the ORLEN Group in the construction of the installation terminal at the Port of Świnoujście is crucial both from the point of view of the schedule of the Baltic Power project and subsequent projects in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea planned by ORLEN Neptun by 2040. Offshore wind farm components, including turbines manufactured by Vestas, will be delivered to the terminal area of ​​approximately 20 hectares. Each of the two available quays will allow for the initial assembly of wind turbine towers over 100 meters high and weighing approximately 1,000 tons each. The length of the quays, amounting to 250 meters in both cases, will enable the operation of the largest specialized jack-up vessels currently available for the installation of offshore wind farm components. According to the plan, the port will start work in 2025, and about 100 people will find employment there during the installation work.

Our goal is to create a fully universal port. All this is also our response to the expectations of investors who want to establish their business with the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście. We are all the more pleased that the renewable energy industry has noticed this potential. We plan that in 2025 the terminal will enter the operational phase, servicing approximately 80 offshore wind turbines annually. - says Krzysztof Urbaś, president of the board of Morskie Portów Szczecin and Świnoujście SA.

The first project to be implemented using the installation terminal in Świnoujście will be Baltic Power, a joint venture of the ORLEN Group and Northland Power. Thanks to the intensive work of almost 90 experts from 10 countries, it is currently the most advanced project in the Polish waters of the Baltic Sea. The company has already secured all the key elements of the offshore wind farm as part of the supply chain, which also includes Polish companies.

In the case of offshore wind energy projects, one of our main goals is to provide local content and a positive impact on the local communities in which we develop and operate. This is Northland's key approach to developing worldwide projects that reflects our core values. The cooperation announced today is a testimony to common development and achievements that will not only contribute to the development of the Baltic Power project, but also accelerate Poland's energy transformation and strengthen the local economy for many years to come. - said Mike Crawley, chairman of the board of Northland Power.

The Baltic Power wind farm will use 76 turbines with a capacity of 15 MW each, supplied by Vestas. It is currently one of the most modern turbines available on the market, and the Baltic Power farm will be one of the first in the world where they will be installed. The cooperation with Vestas includes the delivery and installation of turbines and ensuring their full service for up to 15 years. In addition, the company, seeing the potential for further development of offshore wind projects implemented in Poland, decided to locate a new factory of offshore wind turbine elements in Szczecin.

The wind industry helps create sustainable and reliable energy systems while providing a wide range of social and economic benefits. This includes job creation along the entire value chain. Both the information about our cooperation on the Baltic Power project and today's information about the new Vestas factory are concrete examples of contributions to the development of the wind energy sector. I would like to thank our partners and all involved parties who have made this project possible, adds Nils de Baar, President of Vestas North and Central Europe.

Turbine nacelles and hubs will be assembled at the new Vestas factory. The facility located in Western Pomerania will deliver manufactured elements both to the Polish and global markets. The factory is expected to start operating in the second half of 2024 and will create between 600 and 700 jobs. Thus, it will be the largest production plant in Poland directly related to the offshore wind farm sector.

The Baltic Power farm, with a capacity of up to 1.2 GW, will be located approx. 23 km from the shore at the height of Choczewo and Łeba. After completion of construction in 2026, it will be able to supply more than 1.5 million households with clean energy.