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What goes on in Poland on the 8th of March.
PGE does not rule out new offshore partnerships in the Baltic
Polska Grupa Energetyczna does not exclude cooperation with external partners in the construction of offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea. “I do not rule out that we will build offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea with external partners. International companies are already expressing their interest,” PGE President Wojciech Dąbrowski told reporters.
So far, PGE has won all four resolved proceedings of the Ministry of Infrastructure regarding the granting of a concession for a wind farm, one area remained undecided, six more locations are waiting for decisions. PGE’s long-term strategic goal is that by 2050, 100 percent of the energy it sells comes from renewable sources, such as offshore and onshore wind energy and photovoltaics.
The battle for Polish offshore will mainly be decided between state-owned companies, which are promoted thanks to the provisions of a regulation, according to which state-owned companies will have an advantage, as they will receive additional points resulting from the Energy Transition Index and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Due to the fact that the state owned companies are only in the initial phase of transformation and have a relatively low share of RES, they will have an advantage over other entities applying for permits, whose share of RES may be at a higher level.
Marek Suski’s war against wind turbines will be resolved in the Sejm
The Energy and Local Government Committees recommended that the Sejm reject the Senate amendment, which restores the permissible distance of onshore wind farms to 500 m, which was the subject of consensus before the so-called Suski Amendment. The Sejm is due to address the issue on March 9.
Marek Suski, head of the Committee on the State Treasury, Energy and Climate increased the distance of onshore wind farms from residential buildings from 500 to 700 m, thereby reducing the availability of land for the needs of this energy sector in Poland. His changes were inconsistent with the agreement between the Ministry of Climate and Environment and the wind industry supporting a compromise of around 500 m, but in the end the ministry supported the MP’s amendment.
The Senate voted to restore the distance of 500 m, but the Committee on the State Treasury recommended rejecting this amendment. Commentators were outraged by the fact that the vote on this issue was not preceded by a discussion.
The liberalisation of the Distance Act was intended to unlock the construction of onshore wind power in Poland and was one of the milestones required to make available the funds of the National Reconstruction Plan, including PLN 20 billion for the energy transition.
The Sejm is to vote on the Distance Act on Thursday, March 9.
