Offshore wind energy is an opportunity for the entire economy. Offshore is such an elaborate project that the wind turbines themselves installed offshore – and thus the most spectacular part of the investment – are really “just” the proverbial icing on the cake. An elaborate infrastructure is needed for a wind farm to work. In the case of offshore it is also important to have logistical facilities, allowing, for example, servicing of wind power plant elements. Such projects are already being implemented in Poland. The first is closely related to the Baltic Power project.
Service base for Baltic Power offshore wind farm
According to media reports, construction of a service base for the Baltic Power offshore wind farm has begun. It is to be located in Leba and will consist of, among other things, workshops and a parts warehouse. The Baltic Power farm itself is expected to be commissioned in 2026, allowing it to cover about 3 percent of the country’s energy needs. It is currently the most advanced offshore wind project in the Baltic waters belonging to Poland.
The base itself is to be located on an area of about 1.1 hectares, while allowing it to accommodate vessels designed to transport equipment and service personnel from operating windmills located offshore. In total, the service base will employ dozens of people, both offshore wind energy specialists and technical or support staff representatives. In a word, offshore wind energy generates new jobs in many industries.
Offshore wind opens up new opportunities
Poland’s offshore wind projects show that offshore wind energy is a real economic flywheel – especially in regions close to the coast. Added to this is the need for specialized personnel and appropriate technology. This, in turn, opens up new horizons for technical universities, which can engage in both the training of specialists and the conduct of scientific and experimental research into the development of new and improvement of existing technologies. Besides, several universities have already established majors dedicated precisely to offshore wind issues.