For two days (30 Sep – 1 Oct), during the Offshore Wind Conference 2019 organized by the Polish Wind Energy Association, Warsaw will become the hotspot for discussions about the role of offshore wind in the transformation of the Polish economy.

 

– We can already say that the 10 GW of offshore wind capacity in the Baltic Sea, planned for the period up to 2040, will become one of the pillars of transformation of the Polish energy sector towards lower emissions. Offshore wind farms will help in greening the energy mix and meeting the obligations regarding RES share – says Janusz Gajowiecki, President of Polish Wind Energy Association.

During Offshore Wind Conference 2019, the representatives of the European Commission’s DG Energy will discuss how the National Energy and Climate Plan submitted by Poland fits in the implementation of the Community’s targets.

Meeting the RES targets for 2020 (15% in the final energy consumption for Poland) is just a stop on the journey towards a more decarbonized economy. In the coming decade Poland must contribute to the EU target (32% RES share in 2030) by building more green energy sources, in order to have a 21% share of renewables in all sectors and 27% in electricity generation (according to the draft National Energy and Climate Plan for 2021-2030).

We know the framework, we will learn about significant details

Although a framework plan for offshore wind has been knows for several months, at the Offshore Wind Conference 2019 we will learn about the details important from the point of view of project implementation:

– representatives of the Ministry of Energy will present the progress of work on regulations for offshore wind, including the support scheme for the industry;

– representatives of the Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation will discuss the current status of work on the draft spatial development plan for Polish maritime areas, responding to questions whether it fully utilizes the energy potential of the Baltic Sea and how it will impact the development of ongoing and planned wind power projects;

– representatives of financing institutions and insurance companies will share their conclusions on identification and assessment of risks related to financing offshore wind projects, also in the context of environmental and social aspects.

Offshore wind to become a driver for the Polish economy

Polish suppliers already have a significant potential in provision of structural components and services related to construction and operation of offshore wind farms. Currently almost 100 Polish companies have the knowledge and experience in this field.

In order to fully utilize the potential of the Polish industry related to the fledgling sector, during the Offshore Wind Conference 2019 we will discuss topics including the need to streamline the dialogue between potential suppliers, contractors and clients, as well as the need for support for companies from the state and the investors. Therefore:

– Polish industry representatives will present the preparation of production facilities and ports for the needs of offshore wind power development;

– representatives of world’s leading investors, suppliers and contractors from the sector will share their experiences from implementation of similar projects in other countries, success stories and failures in terms of legislative, economic, social and business solutions.

We will learn about the current developments in the most advanced offshore wind projects, prospects for their completion, as well as legal and market-related barriers hampering their development.

We hope that the discussion among all stakeholders of the investment process will contribute to confrontation of ideas and will become a good starting point to develop solutions including the needs of all stakeholders with a benefit to the Polish economy.

 

See you at Offshore Wind Conference 2019!