Poland's energy regulator URE published the results of the country's first offshore wind tender, awarding contracts to three projects for a combined capacity of 3,435 MW.
The auction targeting 4,000 MW was held on December 17 and represented the second phase of the country's offshore wind support scheme. In the first phase, projects received support through administrative decisions.
Four producers participated in the maiden auction, and three winners were selected: the 900-MW Baltic East developed by Orlen Neptune, part of Polish energy group Orlen; the 975-MW Baltica 9 developed by PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna; and the 1,560-MW Baltyk 1 developed by local utility Polenergia and Norway's Equinor.
The bid price for electricity, the basis for granting the support, could not be higher than the price set by the regulations, which ranged from PLN 485.71 (USD 135/EUR 115) per MWh to PLN 512.32/MWh depending on the location. The table below shows the winning bid of each successful participant.
The auction participants have pledged to start generating electricity and feeding it into the grid within seven years of the auction closing date. Upon fulfilment of this obligation, their 25-year support period will begin.
Poland plans to reach an installed offshore wind capacity of 5.9 GW by 2030 and 18 GW by 2040.
