Number of Polish Companies Willing to Build Off-Shore Wind Farms on the Baltic Sea on the Rise

The Supplier Day is an initiative of investors addressed to Polish companies that wish to participate in the construction of off-shore wind farms on the Baltic Sea. This is also another event fully devoted to cooperation with domestic companies within the scope of specific part of a wind farm – this time the electric energy infrastructure.

Its main contractor – with respect to the Bałtyk I, II and III projects, implemented jointly by Equinor and Polenergia – is Hitachi Energy. Hitachi Energy will be responsible for designing the maritime and land electric energy infrastructure for both wind farms, performance of system analyses, as well as delivery of devices for the off-shore stations and construction of on-shore stations in the “turnkey” formula.

The new sector of economy has space not only for companies from Pomerania, but also from other parts of Poland and that is why the Supplier Day was held in Łódź, where Hitachi’s production plant is located. The event was attended by companies from all over the country, whose products and services may be used for designing and performing electric installations for off-shore wind farms Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III with a capacity of 1.44 GW.

The exceptional formula of the meeting allows for establishing contacts and facilitates direct dialogue between a renowned international company (i.e. Hitachi Energy) and domestic sub-suppliers. At the meeting, the Polish entrepreneurs learnt the investment schedule, scope of innovations and competence that are sought, standards and requirements, mode of applying and conditions that must be met in order to be included in the pool of potential suppliers and participate in the process of development of Polish wind energy.

During special thematic sessions with Hitachi Energy experts, the entrepreneurs could individually talk about specific purchase packages and learn the areas of potential cooperation. They included construction work, electricity and assembly work, medium voltage and low voltage cables, auxiliary transformers, high voltage apparatus, medium and low voltage switchboards, wiring closets, AC/DC switchboards, gas extinguishing systems and transformer extinguishing systems, monitoring (CCTV) along with access control, high-capacity power generators, medium and low voltage container mobile fuel stations and steel structure for devices.

The Supplier Day, organised by Equinor and Polenergia in the formula of meetings of the main supplier with Polish sub-suppliers, has already become a cyclical event. The previous meeting – organised in cooperation with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, which is the preferred supplier of turbines for Bałtyk II and III projects – attracted over 100 domestic companies to Gdańsk.

The Supplier Day take is a part of signature Five Flagship Programmes of Equinor and Polenergia. One of them – the Contractual Commitment Package – is meant to directly engage the main suppliers (Tier 1) from the supply chain in actions aimed at development of the Polish off-shore wind energy sector and its competitiveness.

The task of another programme – Information and Promotion Centre – is to ensure access to project information necessary for preparation for participation in a supply chain, conducting a dialogue with the suppliers, promoting Polish companies and initiation of actions for the sake of increased participation of Polish suppliers and sub-suppliers in the supply chain for the off-shore wind farms.

Equinor and Polenergia are working on three off-shore wind farm projects in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea – Bałtyk I, II and Bałtyk III, with a total capacity of approx. 3 GW. The most advanced projects, Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III, which will be located at the height of Łeba at a distance of 37 and 22 km from the coast line, will generate electricity already in 2027. The third wind farm, Bałtyk I, with a capacity of 1.56 GW, which is going to be built in the second stage of development of the Polish off-shore wind sector, will be located at approx. 81 km from the coast line, also at the height of Łeba.

Bałtyk II and Bałtyk III will be connected to the PSE Słupsk Wierzbięcino power station, while Bałtyk I to the station in Krzemienica nearby. The land corridor of connection infrastructure with a length of approx. 14 km will run through the Ustka and Słupsk communes.