For nearly 8 months, 10 specialist research vessels and hundreds of specialists explored the bottom of the Baltic Sea, where the installation of Baltic II and Bałtyk III wind farms is planned. The completed geotechnical and geophysical works are another milestone in the implementation of Equinor and Polenergia investments in the field of offshore wind energy in Poland.

Based on the results of these works, the final design of the foundations for about 100 wind turbines, two offshore power stations, a corridor for the export cable and its connection with the onshore transmission infrastructure in the vicinity of Ustka will be developed.

- Completion of geotechnical and geophysical studies is a milestone in the implementation of Baltic II and Bałtyk III offshore wind farms. The planned completion of the investment will strengthen Poland's energy security, and the renewable energy flowing from our farms in the Baltic Sea will support the ongoing energy transformation from 2027 - emphasized the president of Equinor in Poland, Michał Kołodziejczyk.

The research was carried out along a section exceeding one thousand kilometers, including the planned two wind farms with a total area of ​​almost 240 square kilometers and along over 400 kilometers of cable routes. Geotechnical data was obtained from boreholes up to 55 meters below the seabed. Hundreds of specialists participated in the geotechnical and geophysical works: from the staff of research units to experts dealing with the interpretation of the obtained data and their reporting.

10 vessels belonging to several contractors took part in the research, including the Polish company MEWO, which was responsible for offshore works in the vicinity of Ustka, where cables from two wind farms will reach the shore and connect with onshore cables.

 - The cables that will carry electricity from the farms belonging to Equinor and Polenergia will be routed using the trenchless method through a special underground passage - at the border of sea and land. This will protect unique, interconnected aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The selected method of carrying out the works will not affect the area of ​​the beach and dunes, which will allow the protection of plant clusters and habitats of numerous valuable species of flora and fauna, including rare Western European, Atlantic and northern species, noted Marta Porzuczek, Director of the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Department at Polenergia.

The research was conducted in a way that minimized its impact on the environment, especially on marine organisms. After completion of the work, the seabed area was restored to its original condition: the drilling sites were secured by filling them with material that is neutral for the marine ecosystem. The works were carried out with respect for the principles of good neighborly cooperation, informing the inhabitants about research at sea.

- Our company strives to meet the high quality standards set by Equinor and Polenergia in the field of geotechnical and geophysical research. We are glad that, among others, thanks to the effective work of MEWO specialists, electricity flowing from offshore wind farms will in the future power millions of households annually, without threatening the environment of the coastal zone - said Lucjan Gajewski, Vice-President for Development at MEWO.

The research results will be used for further planning and design of offshore wind farms and energy dissipation infrastructure. They will also be a key element in obtaining the necessary building permits.

Equinor and Polenergia are jointly implementing three offshore wind farm projects in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea with a total capacity of approximately 3 GW, enough to power over 4 million Polish households. Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III farms with a capacity of 1.44 MW, where geotechnical and geophysical studies were carried out, will be located at the height of Łeba, approximately 37 and 22 km from the shore. The final investment decision for these projects is expected in 2024, and the first electricity production in 2027. The planned date of making the final investment decision for the third project - Bałtyk I with a capacity of 1.56 MW is set for 2026, and the start of production for 2029.

The investments carried out by Equinor and Polenergia are part of the project of energy transformation of the Polish energy sector, which assumes that by 2040 offshore power plants with a total capacity of nearly 11 GW will be built in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea.