Equinor and Polenergia have selected Siemens Gamesa as the preferred supplier of wind turbine generators for the MFW Bałtyk II and MFW Bałtyk III projects in the Polish Baltic Sea.
With a combined capacity of 1,440 MW, MFW Bałtyk II and MFW Bałtyk III are two of the largest and most advanced offshore wind farms being developed in Poland, Equinor said.
Under the announced deal, Siemens Gamesa will deliver its flagship model SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbine to cover the maximum combined capacity of both projects. The turbine has 14 MW nominal power and can reach up to 15 MW capacity with Power Boost.
”Selecting the preferred turbine supplier, we reach another milestone, moving our projects forward and bringing the best technologies into the Polish market and its offshore wind industry development,” said Michał Kołodziejczyk , country manager of Equinor in Poland.
‘ ‘Our goal is to execute these projects in a way that brings this competitive source of clean and renewable energy to Poland, based on leading solutions. We believe this cooperation with Siemens Gamesa will accelerate further the progress of our projects that can bring several opportunities for the Polish market and Polish companies to be included in the local supply chain.”
Siemens Gamesa said that the two signings represent both the first preferred supplier agreements announced in the fledgling Polish offshore wind market, and also the first conditional agreements for the SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbine. Service agreements are also included.
Marc Becker, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit, said: ”Once more, Siemens Gamesa is thrilled to be leading the offshore revolution, powering the start of another nation’s offshore wind adventure. Doing so with our newest offshore turbine – the SG 14-236 DD – will allow us to provide proven technology and unequalled experience to Poland from the outset. We can help unlock the power of wind as the country works towards meeting its impressive renewable energy goals.”
The SG 14-236 DD is Siemens Gamesa’s largest direct-drive offshore wind turbine and it will have been running commercially for a couple of years when installed on Equinor and Polenergia’s projects.
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The exact number of machines remains to be determined at a later phase of the development upon completing the final turbine supply agreement and service and warranty agreements.
One rotation of the turbine’s rotor at full load will supply enough electricity for one average household in Poland for four days. When one turbine is running at full load, it will only take ten minutes to produce the electricity needed to power one average Polish household for one year, Equinor said.
”The delivery of wind turbine generators is the largest contract for the projects, and we have secured an experienced supplier with a proven track record of deliveries to Equinor. We have selected a wind turbine that is the best solution for the overall business case and we look forward to further maturing the projects in collaboration with Siemens Gamesa,” said Mette H. Ottøy , Equinor’s chief procurement officer.
MFW Bałtyk II and III are a substantial part of the first phase of Polish offshore wind industry development scheme with a total capacity of 5,900 MW.
The two 720 MW wind farms were awarded Contracts for Difference (CfDs) in May 2021 by Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (ERO).
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The projects are located in the Baltic Sea, approximately 27 and 40 kilometres from the port of Łeba where Equinor has acquired a plot for its future operations and maintenance (O&M) base port.
The final investment decision for both projects is subject to obtaining the necessary permits and is planned for 2024 with the first power delivered to the grid in 2027.
”We develop our projects on the basis of the best practices known from other European countries and draw on the experience of other offshore energy investments,” said Michał Michalski , Ph.D., president of the Management Board of Polenergia.
”This allows for a smooth process of obtaining the necessary permits and significantly increases the degree of advancement of these projects. We believe that our offshore wind farms will provide clean, green energy for millions of Polish households by 2027.”
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