Polish energy companies are asking for offshore wind projects EU support

Members of the Polish Electricity Association (PKEE) are pursuing their plans to make offshore wind farms one of the pillars of the transition to low-emission energy system. The PKEE believes that the EU should promote wide deployment of offshore wind energy to meet ambitious climate targets and to further boost Europe’s industrial leadership in this field. Offshore wind potential in Poland is estimated at more than 10 GW by 2040 and may significantly contribute to reaching renewable energy targets.

Polish Electricity Association asks for EU financing of offshore wind energy technologies. – Investments in offshore wind are highly capital-intensive. For this reason, the EU should ensure the eligibility of the sustainable investments in offshore wind technologies for the support provided through programmes embedded in the Multiannual Financial Framework, such as Upgraded InvestEU, Strategic Investment Facility, Recovery and Resilience Facility and Connecting Europe Facility. Moreover, it is crucial to create a financial framework and support the development of cross-border investment projects across the EU, such as the Union Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism – we read in a statement. – However, the latest European Council conclusions on the Recovery and Resilience Facility establish a strict and short timeline of the proposed measure (legal commitment concluded by the end of 2023 and payments made by the end of 2026). The PKEE is concerned about the rigidity of this schedule, thus for offshore wind farms projects, this strict timeline should be relaxed.

Polish Electricity Association/Wojciech Jakóbik