Shell: Brings Offshore Wind Power to Polish Baltic Sea

Amber Baltic Wind Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shell plc, has submitted proposals for new offshore wind locations in the Polish Baltic Sea zone as part of the latest government tender. The sites included in the tender will help deliver Poland’s ambition of reaching 11 GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2040.

The Polish part of the Baltic Sea could host as much as 28 GW of offshore wind by 2050, according to WindEurope¹. With decades of experience delivering complex offshore projects in the North Sea, strong offshore wind capabilities, and a significant presence in Poland, Shell could support Poland in realizing the potential of its vast wind resources to help transition its energy mix.

Shell has also signed the Polish Offshore Wind Sector Deal, which aims to develop local content in the supply chain supporting the construction and operation of offshore wind farms. Under the Sector Deal, the industry commits to the creation of up to 60,000 direct and indirect jobs in Poland’s wind industry by 2040.

“Shell has been an energy partner for Poland for 30 years and we continue to stand ready to support Poland in delivering a more secure and sustainable energy system,” said Shell Poland Country Chair, Piotr Kuberka. “Offshore wind has a chance to become a cornerstone of both the Polish energy transition as well as energy independence. It is equally an important part of Shell’s plans for Poland as we look to expand our lower-carbon businesses and help a range of sectors decarbonize. By signing the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, we have also committed to working with Polish communities and businesses to bring new high-skilled jobs and help develop local supply chains.”

Shell first entered the wind business over 20 years ago. Today, Shell has about 21 GW of offshore wind projects in operation, under construction, and in the funnel of potential projects across Europe, Asia, and North America. Shell also wants to work with customers, policymakers, and investors to integrate power from offshore wind farms into decarbonization opportunities across a diverse range of sectors.

• Shell has been an energy partner for Poland for over 30 years, currently employing 5,000 people. Shell’s presence spans the Mobility business where we operate 430 service stations, Lubricants, and Commercial Fleet businesses as well as one of the largest business operations centers supporting 12 different Shell global businesses and functions. As a leading global supplier of LNG, Shell is also working with Poland to meet the country’s growing demand for gas and LNG.
• In line with Shell’s target to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, Shell has begun to build a Polish lower-carbon business. In 2021, together with IONITY, Shell launched the first ultra-fast 350 kW chargers for electric vehicles in Poland. Shell also manages 1 GW of Polish wind, solar, and biogas through Next Kraftwerke, Shell’s Virtual Power Plant company.
• Globally, through Renewables & Energy Solutions, Shell is building an interconnected power business through which we produce, buy, trade, store, and supply power directly to customers, powering homes, businesses, and vehicles. Shell’s presence across the power value chain enables us to design integrated solutions for our customers, helping them increase efficiency and reduce emissions and costs. By 2030, Shell aims to sell around 560 terawatt-hours of electricity per year, more than twice the electricity we sell today.
• Today, Shell has deployed 844 MW and has 3.5 GW of offshore wind power generation capacity under construction, and over 16.7 GW in the funnel of potential projects across Europe, Asia, and North America. Shell’s offshore wind project pipeline ranges from conventional bottom-fixed offshore wind developments to floating wind, and from wind-power to hydrogen developments to multi-technology projects combining offshore wind with floating solar and batteries. Read more about our wind portfolio here.
• The Polish Offshore Wind Sector Deal was initially signed in September 2021 by representatives from the Polish Government, investors, the wind industry, local governments, and higher education institutions in Poland. Under the Sector Deal, the industry commits to the creation of up to 60,000 direct and indirect jobs in Poland’s wind industry by 2040. The Government in turn reinforces Poland’s ambitions to accelerate the energy transition with renewables by launching a new auction system and carrying out competitive auctions for offshore wind from 2025.
• Further information on the results of the tender will be communicated in line with the government process.