Polish state-run energy company PGE Group and Danish power firm Ørsted have taken a significant step forward in their joint venture to develop the Baltica offshore wind farm in the Baltic
Sea. The project, touted as the largest offshore wind farm in Europe, is set to have a capacity of 2.5 GW.
PGE Group and Ørsted recently announced contracts with suppliers for foundations and internal cables for the wind farm. The Navantia-Windar consortium from Spain will provide the foundations for the wind turbines, some of which are expected to reach heights exceeding 100 meters and weigh over 2,000 tonnes. Additionally, China's Orient Cable (NBO) will supply approximately 170 kilometers of 66 kV subsea array cables that will connect the turbines with offshore electrical substations.
The development of the Baltica Offshore Wind Farm project has been progressing steadily. In April, PGE and Ørsted signed a major component contract with wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa. In June, they secured contracts for the offshore substations. These recent contracts are specifically related to Baltica 2, a part of the overall wind farm project with a capacity of 1.5 GW. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. The remaining part, Baltica 3, with a capacity of 1 GW, is projected to be fully operational by the end of 2029.
The completion of both parts will mark the achievement of the 2.5 GW Baltica Offshore Wind Farm. PGE Group CEO Wojciech Dąbrowski expressed satisfaction with the progress, stating that securing components for Baltica 2 allows them to move forward with the project's development and brings them closer to their strategic goal of developing 2.5 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. Agata Staniewska, the managing director for Ørsted Offshore Poland, emphasized their commitment to delivering large-scale offshore wind energy to Poland and highlighted the significance of these strategic component contracts for the groundbreaking Baltica 2 project.
The Baltic Sea wind farm project represents a major advancement in renewable energy infrastructure and contributes to the growth of the offshore wind sector in Europe. The collaboration between Polish and Danish companies demonstrates their shared commitment to harnessing the potential of wind power and promoting sustainable energy solutions. Photo by David Dixon / Walney Offshore Windfarm / CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia commons.