There are currently several dozen companies on the Polish market specializing in the production of components for OWFs in almost all aspects of the supply chain. In particular, these include environmental research, assessments, foundation components, cables, vessels, ship services, project development, preparation, planning and supervision of construction, wind measurements, offshore logistics, operation and maintenance services and many other services – from initial planning to conducting OWF operations.
Therefore, the construction of OWFs in Polish maritime areas will have a positive and strong impact on the economic development of ports and harbor cities along the Polish and Baltic coast. Infrastructure investments amounting to hundreds of millions of euros will provide work for hundreds of workers. Creating new jobs in innovative sectors of the economy will stimulate the need to develop new competences on the labor market, which will have a positive impact on the entire economy – by building a knowledge-based economy.
The implementation of investments in Polish maritime areas may bring the Polish economy huge revenues from indirect taxes and CIT paid by companies directly and indirectly related to the offshore wind energy sector. To this day, investors have paid over PLN 100 million to the state budget alone for the fees associated with OWF location permits issued.
The average cost for installing the capacity of 1 MW offshore power currently lays between 2 and 3 million Euro, not including the costs of grid connections (from the transformer station of the OWF to the onshore grid connection point). In order to create truly favorable framework conditions, it will be necessary to seek the involvement of many national and international entities with both adequate financial resources and experienced project teams by creating a comprehensive program for the development of offshore wind energy, transparent and based on market competition.
A central aspect in the industry’s activities related to offshore wind development in Poland is the sectoral agreement between representatives of investors, industry and the government. This so-called “sector deal” is aimed to stimulate more Polish companies to join the supply chain for offshore wind energy in Poland, is expected to be finalized and signed by mid 2021.
