Poland is going ahead with its offshore wind build-out program by starting a competitive process for an offshore wind seabed permit within 53.E1 area in the Polish Baltic Sea. RWE is in the race and has submitted a bid for the up to 1.5-gigawatts (GW) site, located around 75 kilometres off the coast of Ustka. Based on RWE’s expertise in offshore wind development, efficient project delivery, safe operation of similar offshore wind farms in Europe, the company has developed a unique concept for this particular offshore area focusing inter alia on the efficient area co-usage.

“Efficient implementation of new offshore projects off the Polish coast will bring our country significantly closer to achieving the much-needed diversification of energy sources and would increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix, as set out in the Energy Policy of Poland,” says Grzegorz Chodkowski, Vice President Offshore Development Poland at RWE Renewables. “Based on our experience in offshore wind and our close cooperation with local communities and supply chain companies we are in a perfect position to deliver large-scale offshore wind farms, which takes inter alia efficient area co-usage into account. And we are ready to compete for other additional seabed permits in the Polish Baltic Sea.”

Sven Utermöhlen, CEO Offshore Wind, RWE Renewables: “RWE is clearly committed to contributing to the Polish energy transition by delivering the government’s offshore wind build-out program. We are currently realising our first offshore project in the Polish Baltic Sea, with F.E.W. Baltic II. And we are pleased to have submitted our bid for an offshore wind farm named Freeboard I within 53.E1 area. We have proposed an integrated concept for this seabed permit, based on our track record of more than 20 years in offshore wind. We are convinced that our bid will be a blueprint for developing a new generation of offshore wind farms in the Polish Baltic Sea.”

Strong footprint in Poland

For many years, RWE has been driving forward the Polish energy transition by developing, building and operating onshore wind farms. With its portfolio RWE is among the five largest Polish onshore wind operators. In addition RWE is continuously diversifying its Polish renewables portfolio by investing in solar projects. Furthermore RWE is progressing with realising F.E.W. Baltic II, one of the first offshore wind farms in the Polish Baltic Sea. Once fully operational, the 350 megawatts (MW) wind farm will be capable of producing enough green electricity to supply the equivalent needs of around 350,000 Polish households. Through the F.E.W. Baltic II project, RWE will contribute significantly to the local economy – one of its strategic growth markets in Europe. To contribute further, RWE is also ready to place very competitive bids for the other additional areas made available for offshore wind farms by the Polish government. Awarded seabed permits out of this process have the chance to qualify and participate in Contract for Difference (CfD) auctions starting in 2025.

Extensive experience in offshore wind

RWE is a leading global player in renewables and No. 2 worldwide in offshore wind. RWE is determined to contribute its global expertise and technical know-how to forge ahead with offshore wind in Poland. RWE operates 18 offshore wind farms in five countries – including Arkona, with 385 MW one of the largest offshore wind farms in the German Baltic Sea. The company currently has a total installed capacity of around 3 GW of offshore wind projects in operation, the wind farms Sofia (1.4 GW off the British coast) and Kaskasi (342 MW off the German coast) under construction, and a total of more than 10 GW secured capacities in development worldwide.