Polish Eco Watchdog Okays 120-Turbine Offshore Wind Project

Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Gdansk has signed an environmental permit for the 120-turbine Baltyk Srodkowy III (Baltic Middle III) offshore wind farm project, the country’s General Directorate for Environmental Protection reported.

The aim of the investment is the construction and operation of a wind farm with a capacity of between 600MW and 1,200MW, located in the Polish exclusive economic zone in the southern part of the Baltic Sea, about 23km north from the coast, covering an area of around 117 km2.

Offshore wind energy is an important alternative to land-based farms, which cause a lot of controversy, the Directorate said, adding that offshore wind farms are characterised by twice the productivity of energy and stability compared to onshore wind farms, and that their location does not cause social protests.

Implementation of the Baltyk Srodkowy III project will provide a boost to the Polish shipyards in Szczecin and Gdynia through the potential contracts for the construction of foundations and turbine towers for the wind farm, the Directorate said.

Apart from the local shipyards, the ports in the region could also stand to benefit from the development of offshore wind. Pomeranian ports could in the near future become bases for construction companies and service companies that support offshore wind energy, according to the Directorate.

The environmental permit comes with a number of conditions designed to minimize the project’s environmental impact at the stage of its implementation, operation and decommissioning.

Offshore WIND Staff