
Polish maritime areas are characterized by very favourable conditions for the development of the offshore wind energy. Areas available for the development are the largest at the Baltic Sea and the coastal regions possess significant production facilities. Polish shipyards, harbors and cooperating enterprises face great development opportunity. Cases of other European countries, especially Germany, Denmark and Great Britain reveal that offshore wind energy may contribute not only to increase of green energy generation but also act as a significant stimulus to the development of innovative branches in production and services, especially those located in coastal regions.
Seminar “Prospects of the offshore wind energy development in Poland – planned investments in shipyards and harbors” organized by the Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society, on 8th of March, 2012, within frameworks of the second edition of the international conference Transport Week 2012, presented pre-conditions for the social-economic development of the coastal regions, arising from the dynamic development of the offshore wind energy sector. Thematic scope of the seminar also embraced planning and implementation of investments within the offshore wind energy sector in shipyards and harbors, role of harbors in the construction and operation and maintenance of the offshore wind farms as well as technologies and conditions for the development of industrial production for the new sector.
Discussion on the current status and the future of the sector was attended by experts from the Maritime University of Gdynia, Maritime Office in Gdansk, Institute of Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as representatives of Port of Nyborg (Denmark), Rostock Business and Technology Development and the Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society. Representatives of the key Pomeranian enterprises already operating in the offshore wind sector, such as GSG Towers Sp. z o.o., Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia Sp. z o.o. and Vistal Gdynia S.A. presented current directions of production activities addressed to the international offshore wind energy markets.
Participants of the seminar received opportunity to hear of the conditions of creating and development of the production and logistics centres, established in Germany and Denmark along with the preparation and implementation of the offshore wind farms at the Baltic Sea and North Sea.
The presentations emphasized significant role of the regional and local authorities in the process of preparation of a tailor-made offers for the new sector of the offshore energy. Based on the European experience, the benefits for regional economies were presented, arising from the development of production and services addressed to offshore wind energy players, being established at the shipyard and harbor areas.