Supply chain for polish wind farms in the Baltic Sea

95 companies took part in meetings organized by Equinor and Polenergia for potential suppliers and companies interested in developing offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a series of six workshops was available online, which did not prevent the establishment of good relations and dialogue between international offshore technology suppliers and domestic companies, which in the coming years will form a supply chain ensuring the implementation of the first offshore wind farms in Poland.

The participants of the October workshops had the opportunity to discuss the schedule of MFW Baltyk II and MFW Baltyk III investment realization and preliminary rules of the upcoming procurement process. The workshop was open to all representatives of the supply chain and included topics related to wind turbines, foundations, electrical systems, onshore and offshore substations.

“We were the first in Poland to start cooperation with potential domestic and international suppliers already in spring 2019. Our procurement strategy aims at increasing competition to maximize the capabilities of the Polish supply chain. Its construction is a long-term process, but over time it will create opportunities to increase the share of local suppliers and ensure the development of offshore wind energy”. – says Vidar Birkeland, Project Director of MFW Baltyk II and III in Equinor.

Equinor and Polenergia, as leaders of the offshore wind farm market in Poland, plan to further develop and reach the stage of readiness to build MFW Bałtyk II and MFW Bałtyk III with a total capacity of 1,440 MW by 2023. It is a prerequisite that an appropriate law is adopted and entered into force as soon as possible in early 2021, which will establish an appropriate framework and provide adequate financial support for further development of offshore wind farm projects.