Curtain: Marine Wind Energy will bring the Baltic back to life

"The offshore wind energy developed in the Baltic Sea has a chance to play an important role in economic recovery after coronavirus and in greening EU economies, in the quest to build a zero-emission energy system," said climate minister Michał Kurtyka.

Wednesday in Szczecin will be signed "Baltic Declaration for Maritime Wind Energy". In addition to Poland, which is the initiator of the declaration, it is also to be signed by Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland and the European Commission.

"The declaration brings together the region in the belief that the Baltic Sea should be heavily developed. This is the perfect time to revive them. This will give us the opportunity to build ties with the countries of the region. The major economic projects are the best binder that brings the states together in a sustainable way. The document is an impulse for internal transformation and construction of a zero-emission energy system, with particular emphasis on offshore. The Baltic has a very large potential, which in this matter was not exploited" - stressed the head of the climate resort.

Kurtyka added that the impulse to launch offshor investments in the Baltic is to promote electricity generation in offshore wind farms. The Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers is currently working on it, and the new rules should be adopted later this year.

"This law is exceptional, contains all the elements – from the issue of permits, by joining the network, to the support system. The new rules are the most important step in the launch of investment projects," said the minister.

In the latest version of the bill in the first phase of operation of the system, for farms with a total installed capacity of 5.9 GW, support will be granted by administrative decision by the President of ERO. The possibility of entry into this system ends on 30 June 2021, resulting from EU state aid rules. In the previous version of the project, the power limit was 4.6 GW. In addition, such a mechanism will require EC approval.

In the following years, support will already be granted in the form of competitive auctions. Due to the size of the investment, unlike other RES technologies, the maximum period of support for marine farms will be 25 years.

The Act is to record a special fee on offshore wind farms, as they are not subject to property tax. The basis of the fee will be installed capacity of a given farm, the rate will be the product of power in MW and the amount of PLN 23 thousand.

The Minister recalled that according to the "Poland's Energy Policy until 2040", in 20 years on the Baltic it is to be installed from 8 to 11 GW of power in offshore wind energy. Ten years from now, it's 5.9 GW.

"From our perspective, offshore wind energy is an opportunity for innovative technologies, finding specializations, niches for Polish companies. Offshore can be a very important economic impulse for northern Poland. There will also be new jobs. At the beginning during the construction of wind farms (within the so-called supply chain), then in the scope of their service. Marine wind energy is also a field of display for the "traditional" industry – shipyards, steel and cable production. All these sectors will be beneficiaries of this project. For example, port infrastructure, vessels will have to change under offshore" - added Kurtika.

Source: PAP