Key facts
- Germany and Poland are planning significant offshore wind farm developments in the Baltic Sea.
- The initiative aims to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels and enhance European energy sovereignty.
- Poland has accelerated its wind energy expansion, with its first offshore wind farm under construction.
- The Baltic Sea region faces hybrid threats, necessitating greater military and energy security responsibility.
- Planned infrastructure includes cross-border subsea cables and the Bornholm Energy Island concept.
Germany and Poland are planning substantial offshore wind farm developments in the Baltic Sea, aiming to bolster energy security and reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels. This initiative is seen as a crucial step towards strengthening Europe's overall energy sovereignty amidst ongoing geopolitical instability.
At a recent German-Polish Energy Transition Forum in Berlin, diplomats and business leaders discussed joint solutions. Poland's ambassador to Germany, Jan Tombiński, emphasized that crises present opportunities, citing a Chinese proverb. He noted that Poland has become an even more important economic partner for Germany than the United States, with deeply interconnected economies.
Poland's strategy, outlined by Konrad Wojnarowski, State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, focuses on diversifying energy sources, expanding renewable energy both onshore and offshore, and developing energy storage infrastructure, alongside continued investment in nuclear power. This approach prioritizes security and supply assurance, with Wojnarowski warning that a nationwide blackout could cost Poland €9.5 billion daily. Poland has significantly accelerated its wind energy expansion, with onshore capacity exceeding 11 gigawatts, and its first offshore wind farm is under construction, expected to be operational in the second half of 2026.
While Poland is pursuing a dynamic expansion strategy in the Baltic Sea, Germany's offshore wind activity in the region remains more limited compared to the North Sea. Dr. Elmar Stracke from the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) acknowledged that progress is faster in Poland and that Germany needs more efficient spatial planning. He stressed that the future lies in the shared space of the sea, not individual coastlines, requiring major investments in resilient energy infrastructure.
The Baltic Sea region also presents challenges, including hybrid threats from Russia such as signal interference and sabotage targeting critical infrastructure. Europe must assume greater responsibility in both military and energy security, according to Wojnarowski. Poland is a major recipient of the European SAFE defence financing program.
Transmission system operator 50Hertz is committed to utilizing the Baltic Sea's offshore wind potential. The European Commission estimates the technical offshore wind potential for EU Baltic Sea countries to exceed 90 gigawatts. Future plans include the Bornholm Energy Island concept as a central hub and cross-border subsea cable connections, such as the Baltic-German PowerLink, to facilitate renewable electricity exchange and integrate up to 2 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity.