ORLEN is strengthening its role as a key player in Poland’s energy transition through Baltic Power, the first offshore wind project to operate in the Baltic Sea under Polish jurisdiction. Currently under installation, the project will cover 3% of national electricity demand and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 2.8 million tonnes per year compared to conventional generation.

“Offshore wind energy will significantly support filling the generation gap left by phased-out conventional sources,” the company states in a conversation with Strategic Energy Europe. A joint venture between ORLEN and Northland Power, the wind farm will span 130 km² and is expected to generate 4,000 GWh annually—enough to power more than 1.5 million households.

Technical progress and logistics at Baltic Power

Key components are being installed both onshore and offshore. “Foundations and transition elements for turbines and offshore substations are currently being installed,” ORLEN confirms. The onshore service base in Łeba, which will support the farm for the next 30 years, is also nearing completion.

Coordinating offshore activities has been among the most complex challenges. “Offshore work requires synchronisation of the activities of many entities,” the company explains. Over a dozen specialised vessels are currently working at sea, including installation cranes, environmental monitoring ships, and surveillance vessels.

Regulatory leadership in a first-of-its-kind development

Baltic Power has had to navigate—and often pioneer—new regulatory pathways. “We have repeatedly paved the way for the entire industry in many administrative processes,” ORLEN highlights. One key milestone was the recent acquisition of design compliance certificates for turbines and substations, which are mandatory for offshore installation.

Grid modernisation to enable renewables integration

The project is embedded in a broader strategy to modernise Poland’s grid. Energa Operator, a subsidiary of ORLEN Group, secured more than PLN 7.5 billion from the National Recovery Plan for the largest digitalisation and grid upgrade initiative in northern and central Poland.

“The upgrade programme will result in increased grid reliability for 3.5 million customers and the ability to make better use of renewable energy,” the company notes. Investments include over 800 km of new power lines, 25,000 new customer connections, and 1,000 new EV charging stations.

2035 targets: Wind, solar, storage and beyond

ORLEN aims to reach 12.8 GW of installed renewable capacity by 2035, heavily driven by offshore wind. Four additional farms will be developed within this timeframe, with two more either under construction or set to begin.

“The first electricity will flow to consumers in 2026 from the Baltic Power farm,” the company states, adding that ORLEN Neptun, its offshore wind subsidiary, is also building Poland’s first dedicated installation terminal.

In parallel, the group is expanding energy storage capacity to 1.4 GW. “Energy storage is key to improving energy security and developing renewable energy,” they explain. The first large-scale facility is expected by 2027. Projects are being assessed both for greenfield development and acquisition, though costs remain a challenge.

ORLEN also plans to deploy standalone storage units for grid balancing: absorbing power when prices are low and releasing it when demand and prices are high.

Record financing to fuel the transition

To support these goals, ORLEN secured a record PLN 3.5 billion from the European Investment Bank for projects including grid expansion, smart metering, energy storage, and the connection of new renewables.

“The expansion of the grid will improve the security of electricity supply to customers by increasing resilience to violent weather events,” the company notes, underlining the climate-resilience benefits of the programme.

With Baltic Power as its flagship, ORLEN is positioning itself as a leader in Poland’s energy transformation, combining offshore wind, onshore renewables, storage and advanced infrastructure to reshape the national electricity system.