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MK: 'Baltic Declaration for Marine Wind Energy' signed
Author:Mariusz Dasiewicz
Poland initiated a joint Baltic Sea potential management project. Today, together with the European Commission and ministers from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany and Sweden, Poland has signed "Baltic Declaration for Marine Wind Energy", which inaugurates close cooperation between the countries of the region, informed climate minister Michał Kurtyka.
According to the head of the climate resort at the conference "Pomeran Offshore Wind Conference", organized by the Polish Wind Energy Association (PSEW), the dynamic development of offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea can significantly help to restore national economies after the slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
"Therefore, we must make full use of the energy potential of the Baltic wind not only to greenen the economies of the countries having access to it, but also to achieve the greatest economic benefits of the development of offshore wind farms. The Baltic Sea can play a significant role in achieving Europe's climate neutrality in the 2050 perspective and the energy transformation of individual countries in the region," said Kurtika, quoted in the Communication.
The Minister pointed out the large Baltic energy potential estimated by WindEurope to be 83 GW, and according to the European Commission exceeding as much as 93 GW in 2050 (depending on the methodology used). Thus, this water will become Europe's second largest offshore reservoir in terms of energy potential, immediately after the North Sea.
"Poland has the chance to become a leader in the development of offshore farms in the Baltic with the target capacity potential installed in the WindEurope report at 28 GW in 2050. This is one third of the power that can arise in this aquena," Kurtika emphasized.
He also pointed out that the Baltic region would in the future be a particularly attractive location for offshore turbine plant.
"In Poland, the biggest beneficiaries will be shipyards, steel and metal industries, service and installation companies. We need to use their competence and experience to build the value of a Polish, low-carbon, innovative economy, which is crucial especially in the days of the pandemic slowdown," he added.
PWEA Vice President Kamila Tarnacka pointed out that an ambitious approach to the construction of offshore farms in the Polish waters of the Baltic Sea is the key to maximising economic benefits.
"Using the largest wind energy potential in the Baltic Sea, we can build around the emerging sector a new economic branch and specialize in the production of selected components of offshore turbines. There is hope that offshore elevators will become our export specialty, and Polish companies will be strong links in international supply chains for offshore," Tarnacka said.
According to Vice-President PWEA, it would not be possible to exploit the full energy potential of the Baltic Sea and obtain as much energy from the sea as possible at the lowest cost without initiating multi-faceted cooperation between the countries of the region.
The aim of the cooperation under the Baltic Declaration for Marine Wind Energy is to accelerate the development of wind power in the Baltic Sea, to coordinate and optimise activities to exploit the full energy and economic potential of the sea. This includes cooperation in maritime spatial planning, as well as network development, capacity planning and support mechanisms. All these elements will become crucial for the construction of a well-functioning internal energy market and cross-border infrastructure, leading to the release of the full energy and economic potential of the Baltic Sea, as well as the Communication.
„Cieszę się, że przy wsparciu polskiej branży wiatrowej, kraje regionu Morza Bałtyckiego zgodziły się na dalsze wzmocnienie współpracy energetycznej. Naszym celem jest stworzenie sprzyjających warunków dla rozwoju morskiej energetyki wiatrowej dla zapewnienia zrównoważonych, pewnych i tanich dostaw energii w krajach Morza Bałtyckiego” – podsumował szef resortu klimatu.
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