Another huge wind farm in Poland

Polenergia company as the first Polish entity was granted a decision on environment conditions from Regional Dicrectorate of Environemtn Protection  in Gdańsk for the construction of Offshore Wind Farm Middle Baltic III. The projected plant power is 600 MW, and the decision regarding further 600 MW is expected later this year. This is going to be one of the biggest wind farms on the Baltic Sea.

Issuing the decision to Polenergia means it received the green light to start works on the technical project of the first Polish wind farm located on the Baltic Sea. 120 wind turbines of total power of 600 MW are to be constructed 23 kilometres north of the seashore, on the level of Smołdzino commune in Pomeranian voivodship.

The power of a single turbine is to reach up to 5 MW, and its height as much as 275 metres above the sea level. This means the construction will 44 metres higher than the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw together with its spire (231 metres above the sea level). They will be the biggest wind power plants ever built in Poland.

What is very significant, thanks to very good wind conditions on the Baltic, it is possible to use energy more effectively and to limit the wear of the equipment, which makes offshore farms a stable source of renewable energy. One of the foundations of company development are forward-looking projects of wind farms on the Baltic that are characterized by stability and are compatible not only with the energy strategy of Poland but, most of all, the new legal regulations.

Issuing of the first decision on environment conditions is an important step in the process of completing the projects. The total power of the planned farms is 1.2 thousand MW, which is three times more than the power of wind farms projected onshore, the construction of which, due to the introduction of new regulations, has been suspended.

Work schedule includes a three-year period for preparing a technical project and obtaining a construction permit. Launch of construction works is planned for 2019. Electricity is to flow to Polish coast for the first time not sooner than in 5 years’ time (2021-2022). The exploitation period of Offshore Wind Farm Middle Baltic III is estimated at 25 years.

According to the plans, the investment in the amount of 10 billion PLN is to tap into the local potential as much as possible. The company estimates that Polish businesses, both directly and indirectly, will be able to apply for contracts worth 60 percent of the investment, that is around 6 billion PLN. This concerns most of all foundations, towers, cables, sea transformation station, construction services, and also possible production of rotors or supply of ships.

Such scale of possible orders directed to Polish companies is a big impulse that is to result in the creation of new jobs, mostly in the Pomeranian region. Positive economic effect of the investment is to be felt in various companies across Poland.

During the preparatory stage of the investment project in the period from June 2012 to February 2014 comprehensive sea environment research was carried out to the scale so far unknown in Poland. The study concerned the planned wind farm as well as the surrounding area. There were numerous analyses carried out concerning possible impact on: scenery, fishery, ship movement, radiolocation and communication systems, civil and army aviation, cultural heritage, and also possibility to use sea floor resources and objectives on preventing oil pollution.