“This week, together with the European Commission and ministers from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany and Sweden we have signed the ‘Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Declaration’, inaugurating close cooperation between the countries of our region,” Michał Kurtyka, Poland’s Minister of Climate highlighted during the Pomeranian Offshore Wind Conference.
The event, organized by the Polish Wind Energy Association, took place on 30 September 2020 in Szczecin, Poland.
As the climate minister pointed out, the dynamic development of offshore wind in the Baltic Sea can significantly support the recovery of national economies after the slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“That is why we have to fully utilise the energy potential of wind in the Baltic Sea, not only to make our economies greener, but also to generate maximum economic benefits from the development of offshore wind farms,” Kurtyka said.
“The Baltic Sea can play an important role in our efforts to achieve Europe’s climate neutrality by 2050 and in energy transition of the countries of our region.”
Kurtyka also hinted at the large energy potential of the Baltic Sea, estimated at 83 GW according to WindEurope and exceeding 93 GW according to the European Commission (depending on methodology used). Thus, this basin will become the area with second-largest offshore wind potential in Europe, after the North Sea.
“Poland can become a leader in offshore wind development in the Baltic Sea, with its target installed capacity of 28 GW in 2050, as estimated in WindEurope’s report. It is more than one-third of the total capacity that could be built in the region,” the minister highlighted.
Kamila Tarnacka, Vice-President of the Polish Wind Energy Association, pointed out that an ambitious approach to development of offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea waters is a key to maximising economic benefits.
