The Baltic Sea is perfectly suitable for developing offshore wind projects, but it is very important that the needs of natural environment are also met in the process by applying the environmental impact mitigation measures. There is plenty of evidence suggesting that, if planned appropriately, offshore wind farms can both generate electricity and facilitate biodiversity. Erected wind turbines can serve as habitats that shelter marine wildlife and contribute to survival and restoration of ecosystems.

Just over a three decades ago, the seas had zero offshore wind farms. Today offshore wind is one of the most talked-about technologies in the energy sector when it comes to mitigating climate change.

With its shallow waters and stable wind, the Baltic Sea is very suitable for developing offshore wind farms. Denmark, Sweden and Germany have already built such wind farms. Poland, Estonia and Finland are also preparing for heavy investments. The same is true in Lithuania, where Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, is developing the first offshore wind farm in Lithuania, Curonian Nord.

The solutions needed to make this offshore wind farm a contributor to Lithuania’s energy independence and green objectives as well as the wellbeing of marine biodiversity and ecosystems were discussed during a conference on the future of ecology of the Baltic Sea at a festival, Sveika, Neringa.

Extensive research experience

Agnė Lukoševičienė, an environmental expert at Ignitis Renewables, which organised the conference, reminded everyone that the first offshore wind farm in the world was built in the Baltic Sea. Denmark’s Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm, which started operating in 1991, was generating electricity for 25 years using 11 wind turbines located 1.5 to 3 kilometres off the coast.

“It was a tremendously successful project that convinced politicians, planners and developers that offshore energy is not rocket science, but an achievable and successful pursuit. Since it was the first offshore wind farm, it was very interesting from a point of view of environmental research. This wind farm has therefore been the site for a wide range of studies on the environmental impact of offshore wind farms, with long-term observations of electromagnetic fields, noise, changes in animal behaviour, benthic habitats, etc.,” told A. Lukoševičienė.

She pointed out that offshore wind farms and their environmental impact have been studied in our region for over three decades, and during this period a lot of inspiring stories were recorded that show how such objects can contribute to the wellbeing of biodiversity and ecosystems.

“According to the latest studies summarising the 30-year period, after an onshore wind farm is built, it has minimal environmental impact and, if planned appropriately, can even contribute to the enrichment of local ecosystem. For example, the foundations of a wind turbine serve as artificial reefs, molluscs are happy to colonise such structures and form colonies, which means more space for molluscs, which both feed fish and birds and filter the water,” noted the expert from Ignitis Renewables.

Additionally, offshore wind farms often restrict any other activities, which means less ships, less disruptions, so fish stay at such places because they are safe. There are examples, where wind farms in the North Sea helped increase cod and crab stocks and improve the quality of their populations. And, of course, where there are fish, there are seals, which are happy to feed on them. So, the ecosystem is interconnected, more molluscs and undisturbed locations attract more fish, which attract mammals, in our case, seals, which feed on them. With places to hide, fish can reach greater maturity and contribute to healthier and more abundant commercial fish stocks.

“And this only includes conditions which naturally occur after a wind farm is built. Developers are also trying to contribute and improve the biodiversity. For example, they lower artificial reefs, which are constructed using materials that are as natural and environmentally friendly as possible, in order to provide even more space for molluscs. There is one very creative example in Australia, where sculptures were lowered to the bottom to serve as tourist, diver, attractions and as artificial reefs, benthic habitats. According to surveys, one wind turbine could become a home for 4 tonnes of molluscs on average,” estimated A. Lukoševičienė.

She also noted that fish hotels are being developed for offshore wind farms, where fish can quickly hide from bigger fish or seals. They give fish more chances to grow larger. So, applying such measures can also help increase the commercial fish stock, which is fairly relevant in the Baltic Sea as well since there are worrying signs about decreasing cod stocks.

A. Lukoševičienė demonstrated to the audience of the conference the results of a study carried at the North Sea, where GPS trackers were attached to seals in order to find out how seals are behaving near an offshore wind farm. The study results indicated that animals adapt to the wind turbines and use them to their benefit. These images capture a seal’s hunting trip, which makes it easy to see that the animal is not just swimming randomly but knows exactly which wind turbines are most likely to have fish nearby and chooses its route accordingly.

Responsible planning is important

“So, if everything is planned responsibly and implemented meticulously, offshore wind farms can coexist with biodiversity in a friendly and neighbourly fashion. 30 years of experience in offshore wind can be considered both a lot of time and not a lot. Many environmental impacts have already been fully investigated, while others are still the subject of active research. But one thing is clear – both the understanding of renewable energy and ecosystems is growing every day. Cooperation between business, science and environmental institutions is therefore a key factor here,” highlighted the environmental expert from Ignitis Renewables.

She believes that the first and an especially important step when trying to successfully implement an offshore wind project is comprehensive marine spatial planning and the reconciliation of different interests. And there are plenty of interests at sea: tourism, shipping, national security, communications, fishing and many others. And all this must be planned in conjunction with environmental protection.

In order for developers to assess the impact of different stages of development and apply measures properly, including how to avoid impacts or mitigate them to an acceptable level, it’s important to carry out a comprehensive environmental impact assessment, select the mitigation measures and implement them properly and, after the project is implemented, to monitor whether the measures are effective enough, do they achieve the desired effect.

“The Baltic Sea is one of the most heavily used seas in the world. So, countries must take great responsibility for ensuring such type of planning. Lithuania has already done so, and the future offshore wind farms will be developed in areas designated in national planning documents,” noted A. Lukoševičienė.

You can find more information about the project at curoniannord.com. 

Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, is expanding its operations in Latvia and is currently constructing the largest solar projects in the Baltics in Latvia. By building solar farm projects in Kuldīga, Tukums and Bauska municipalities, the company will be able to provide green energy to almost 200,000 Latvian households. 

“We are actively working on the construction of our projects in Latvia and plan to start producing and supplying green energy to the grid from solar power plants in Latvia as early as next year. We are moving forward with all our projects at a rapid pace, while working closely with local municipalities, parish administrations and communities to strengthen the region, where we build our projects, as a whole,” says Baiba Lāce, Head of Ignitis Renewables in Latvia. 

Ignitis Renewables’ portfolio of solar farms in Latvia currently consists of two solar projects already under construction – the 94 megawatt (MW) Vārme solar farm in Kuldīga municipality and the 145 MW Stelpe solar farm, which consists of two separate sites in Stelpe and Bārbale parishes in Bauska municipality. Construction work is currently underway. The total number of solar panels installed in these projects is around 389,000 and the solar farm will provide green energy to nearly 96,000 households per year. The completion and commercial operation of these solar farms is planned for 2025. 

This autumn, construction work will start on one of the most ambitious solar farm projects in the Baltics – the 174 MW Tume solar farm in Tukums municipality, Tume parish. The Tume solar farm is expected to have more than 282,000 solar panels. This will provide more than 85,000 households with clean energy every year.

“The size of our solar projects in Latvia is truly impressive. In total the solar farms will cover an area of 573 hectares – equivalent to about 840 football pitches. The construction of these large projects that will be able to power thousands of households with clean energy demonstrates our commitment to the region’s move towards a greener and more sustainable future,” says B. Lāce. 

The Head of Ignitis Renewables in Latvia also highlights, that the Tume solar farm will be equipped with a solar tracking system (tracker technology) that can detect the direction of the sun and automatically rotate with it. This system is particularly suited to Latvia’s climate conditions and allows maximum use of solar energy, significantly increasing the efficiency of solar panels even with low sunlight. The Tume solar farm is expected to reach commercial operation in 2026. 

With these projects, Ignitis Renewables plays a key role in Latvia’s transition to renewable energy, significantly contributing to the Baltic region’s energy independence and climate goals. 

We have become accustomed to seeing wind turbines spinning in the fields of Lithuania, providing our country with an increasing amount of green electricity. However, this renewable energy source can be harnessed even more efficiently by installing wind turbines offshore. An international green energy company, Ignitis Renewables, which is developing the largest wind energy projects in Lithuania and the Baltic States, explains why it is essential to generate green electricity both on land and at sea.

The first wind turbine in Lithuania was erected in 2004. Since then, and especially in recent years, the renewables sector in Lithuania has reached a breakthrough. According to Litgrid, electricity transmission system operator, Lithuania generated 3.972 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity from renewable energy sources last year, accounting for 70% of total generation. More than half of it, 2.524 TWh, was generated by wind turbines.

Head of Offshore Development at Ignitis Renewables, Vytautas Rimas, states that the results of wind energy in Lithuania are improving each year. However, this method of electricity generation could be even more efficient and contribute further to Lithuania’s energy independence if the massive potential of the Baltic Sea is utilised.

Potential efficiency is significantly higher

The higher efficiency of offshore wind turbines compared to their onshore counterparts is related to the absence of barriers, such as trees, mountains or buildings, that can obstruct the wind. Moreover, the wind blows continuously at sea, even when it seems calm on land. All this allows for a more efficient and stable electricity generation.

“Electricity output of wind farms depends in large part on wind speed. The offshore wind’s potential is greater, and it is more stable than the onshore wind. This is why offshore wind turbines generate electricity even during periods when onshore wind turbines are inactive due to the lack of wind,” says V. Rimas.

Offshore wind farm generates electricity nearly all the time. Average figures, which are based on the data from the offshore wind farms in the North Sea of one of the largest international offshore wind farm developers, Ørsted, show that offshore wind farms generate electricity nearly all the time. Around 91% of the time there’s enough wind to generate electricity. Only 8% of the time the wind is too weak, and around 1% of the time it is too strong.

According to V. Rimas, this means that an offshore wind farm can generate up to twice as much electricity as an onshore wind farm of the same capacity.

“The first offshore wind farm in Lithuania and the Baltic States, Curonian Nord, will generate around 3 TWh of electricity per year. This accounts for a quarter of Lithuania’s current energy demand. If we add the onshore renewable capacities, we can confidently say that the national energy independence goals are effectively becoming a reality,” emphasises the representative of Ignitis Renewables.

Residents see the advantages too

The foundations of offshore wind farms are designed to withstand the harshest conditions, and they are located far away from residential areas, which makes it possible to install more powerful wind turbines and space them optimally. This also increases their generation efficiency and load factor.

“Also, since offshore wind farms are located further away from the coast, they have a reduced visual impact on the landscape,” explains V. Rimas.

He points out that Lithuanian citizens also understand these advantages of offshore wind farms. A representative survey showed that 77% of the country’s population believes that offshore wind farms should be developed in Lithuania’s Baltic Sea territory to meet the energy generation and independence goals, while only 9% are opposed to such projects.

“Residents understand that generating electricity from renewable energy sources is extremely important both from an environmental and energy independence perspective. Therefore, it is critical to take advantage of all the opportunities provided by nature and ensure the diversification of electricity generation as different methods of generating electricity from renewable energy sources complement each other. Solar energy is the most efficient during the summer days, onshore wind farms are particularly efficient during the colder months, while the offshore wind farms are the most stable compared to the first two methods,” notes Head of Offshore Development at Ignitis Renewables.

The Curonian Nord offshore wind farm, with a capacity of up to 700 megawatts (MW) will cover an area of about 120 square kilometres in the Baltic Sea and will be positioned least 37 km away from the shore and about 50 km from the Port of Klaipėda. The offshore wind farm is expected to become operational around 2030.

You can find more information about the project at curoniannord.com. 

Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, is expanding its operations in Latvia. The investment decision foresees an investment up to EUR 106 million in the development of the 174 megawatt (MW) Tume solar farm, which will be one of the largest of its kind in the Baltics. This will be the third Ignitis Renewables solar project in Latvia and demonstrates the company’s commitment to accelerating the region’s drive towards a greener and more sustainable future.

“We are ambitiously working to expand the renewable energy segment and develop new projects in Latvia, as Ignitis Renewables sees huge growth potential in this region. Expanding our portfolio of solar energy projects is a significant benefit for households, businesses and for supporting local community initiatives in the region where we are developing renewable energy projects. It also allows us to move closer to implementing Ignitis Group’s strategic priority to deliver 4–5 GW of installed green capacities by 2030,” stated Thierry Aelens, CEO at Ignitis Renewables.

The Tume solar farm will be located in the Tume parish of Tukums municipality. The targeted total capacity of the project will reach 174 MW, being able to supply up to 85,000 households with electricity per year. This will be the first Ignitis Renewables project to use tracker technology, which automatically tracks the sun’s movement, increasing the production efficiency of the sun panels, resulting in more electricity being generated.

The initial construction phase of the project is scheduled to start later this year, with commercial operation scheduled for 2026.

Expanding portfolio of solar projects

Ignitis Renewables’ portfolio of solar farms in Latvia currently consists of two solar farms already under construction – the 94 MW Vārme solar project in Kuldīga municipality and the 145 MW Stelpe solar project, which consists of two separate sites in Stelpe and Bārbale parishes in Bauska municipality. The completion and commercial operation of these solar farms is planned for 2025.

The current investment in the development of solar projects by Ignitis Renewables in Latvia is estimated at around EUR 284 million, which includes both construction and project development costs. Over the next few years, the Ignitis Group plans to invest a total of around EUR 700 million in Latvia. The majority of the investment will be in renewable energy projects.

Emphasis on support for local communities and environmental protection

For Ignitis Renewables, sustainable and close cooperation with local communities in the vicinity of renewable energy projects under development is essential. The company implements cooperation and support programmes with local communities when developing renewable energy projects. This year, Ignitis Renewables support programme is also available in Latvia, providing financial support to projects and initiatives of local communities and organisations.

“Ignitis Renewables cannot implement renewable energy projects without working closely with local community organisations, building relationships based on mutual understanding and trust. Cooperation with local communities is the foundation of Ignitis Renewables’ sustainable development. We are committed to ensuring that Ignitis Renewables’ renewable energy projects add value to local communities and businesses, as well as to the region as a whole” said Baiba Lāce, Head of Ignitis Renewables in Latvia.

In addition, Ignitis Renewables, alongside the construction of renewable energy projects, is implementing a major environmental programme to reduce the impact on local populations, wildlife and the overall landscape. This approach underscores Ignitis Renewables’ commitment to environmental protection in renewable energy development. 

The absolute majority of Lithuanian citizens rate electricity generation from renewable energy sources positively and believe that the country should produce all the energy it needs this way. Offshore wind energy has a significant role to play in this – the majority of Lithuanians are in favour of development of wind farms in the Baltic Sea.

The representative study, conducted by KOG Institute for Marketing and Communication Sciences, disclosed the respective opinions of Lithuanians. Moreover, the study also set out to find out how coastal area residents view offshore wind energy. It became apparent that most residents consider the electricity generation in the Baltic Sea to strengthen Lithuania’s energy independence and they have almost no misconceptions about wind farms.

The study showed that as much as 77% of Lithuanian citizens believe that it is strategically important for Lithuania to be able to generate all the electricity it needs itself, while nearly the same number of respondents (76%) agree with the statement that the electricity generation from renewable energy sources increases the country’s energy independence.

Also, 77% of the population agrees that offshore wind farms should be developed in the Lithuanian territory in the Baltic Sea to achieve the national electricity generation and energy independence goals, while only 9% say they do not support such projects.

In the coastal region, 66% of residents stated that they support the development of offshore wind farms. Paulius Kalmantas, Communication Partner at Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, notes that even though a slightly lower number of coastal region residents agree with the development of offshore wind, they are better informed about this type of electricity generation method and have fewer stereotypes about it compared to people living in cities, farther away from the Baltic Sea’s coastline.

“People living near the coast and in Western Lithuania have a stronger and more positive opinion on offshore wind farms than other Lithuanians. Coastal residents have a higher tendency to agree that such generation assets have no negative impact on the quality of life and are important for the national energy independence,” states P. Kalmantas.

For example, 67% of coastal residents believe that offshore wind farms are located sufficiently away from the residential territories for the noise generated by the wind farms to reach them. Whereas in Lithuania as a whole, only 18% of citizens agree with this statement.

Also, 61% of coastal residents agree that offshore electricity generation is more effective than onshore, 49% believe that such method of generation is more stable. At the national level, 17% and 12% of the residents agree with these statements respectively.

“To achieve the strategic goals of Lithuanian and European energy sectors, we must develop both offshore and onshore wind farms. However, when considering their differences, offshore wind farms clearly have greater potential as the electricity generation is more stable. Since we talk more about offshore in Western Lithuania, the locals are better acquainted with this information. At the same time, coastal residents are less scared of wind turbines because wind energy in the coastal region is no longer a novelty,” states P. Kalmantas.

It is also important to note that, even though citizens across the country believe that renewables play a major role in achieving energy independence, coastal residents maintain the opinion that offshore wind farms are also very important in this context. In total, 70% of Lithuanians and 77% of coastal residents consider offshore wind farms important for energy independence.

78% of coastal residents believe that the development of offshore wind energy can significantly contribute to the growth of the country’s economy, whereas this view is upheld by just 69% of Lithuanian citizens.

“It is clear that electricity generation from renewable energy sources, specifically offshore, has a very large support in Lithuania, while the coastal residents have fewer stereotypes associated with it. Many have a clear understanding that offshore wind farms are very safe, environmentally friendly, have no impact on landscape and can significantly contribute to Lithuania’s green energy and energy independence goals,” notes Ignitis Renewables representative.

He reminds us that Ignitis Renewables is developing the first offshore wind farm in the Baltic states, Curonian Nord, with a capacity of up to 700 megawatts (MW), which will generate around 3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of green electricity per year, enough to cover around a quarter of Lithuania’s current electricity demand. The offshore wind farm is expected to become operational around 2030.

The representative opinion survey of Lithuanian residents was performed by KOG Institute for Marketing and Communication Sciences in spring 2024. Citizens between ages 18 and 64 from across Lithuania took an online survey. 1,009 individuals have participated in the survey in total. Additionally, 200 respondents from Western Lithuania (Tauragė, Jurbarkas, Kelmė and Mažeikiai) and 350 respondents from the coastal region (Neringa, Kretinga, Palanga and Klaipėda) were surveyed via the phone or in person.

You can find more information about the project at curoniannord.com. 

As both Lithuanian residents and tourists from abroad are looking for new and exciting experiences, industrial tourism has seen a boost in popularity. The number of such points of interest that enrich visitors with knowledge and unexpected sensations has been increasing. The offshore wind farm, Curonian Nord, which is being developed by Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, could become one of the points of interest for tourists in Lithuania, and examples from other countries indicate that new niche services could emerge.

Mykolas Bistrickas, Director at the Museum of Energy and Technology of Lithuania, says that industrial and energy tourism is booming, and this trend will only grow because people are becoming more aware and curious.

“I have been working in this field since 2018 and am noticing the increase in its popularity both in Lithuania and abroad. I believe that the increase in popularity in energy tourism is related to the people’s increasing interest in ecology, renewable energy. These topics are important to all of us, so people are starting to look for their origins, for example, they are visiting the first public power plant in Vilnius, which reveals both the past and the future of the energy sector,” tells M. Bistrickas.

He illustrates the boost in popularity of industrial tourism with numbers – last year the Museum of Energy and Technology had 145,000 visitors, while it failed to reach 20,000 just five years ago. “This is true in other attractions as well. Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, which is being decommissioned, and other industrial, technical and heritage sites are also experiencing the growth in visitors,” assures M. Bistrickas.

Opportunities for local communities

There’s no shortage of examples of industrial tourism becoming more popular in Lithuania, including an energy festival Mechanisms, which takes place in the capital, tours to Vilnius Combined Heat and Power Plant 2, Ekranas factory in Panevėžys as well as facilities of Ignitis Group, which are visited by thousands every year: Kruonis Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant, Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant and Vilnius and Kaunas Combined Heat and Power Plants.

Ignitis Renewables has already tested the waters by allowing tours to wind farms. Together with a public body Žaliasis Regionas and the municipality of Tauragė district, it started organising an education programme called the Wind is Coloured Green, where tourists are invited to visit an onshore wind farm located near Tauragė and learn how green electricity is being generated with the help of a natural phenomenon. Local community members were eager to join the programme. They were specially trained by Ignitis Group’s employees and are currently giving tours to visitors.

Anne-Marie Roikjær, Curonian Nord Project Director, is confident that the first Lithuanian offshore wind farm, Curonian Nord, could become a tourist attraction. “There are many examples in Lithuania and abroad, where the energy sector and tourism have great synergies. The offshore wind farm also has a huge potential to become an industrial tourism attraction. It will be impressive in terms of its size and strategic importance,” says A. Roikjær.

The Curonian Nord project is expected to increase the number of tourism services in Klaipėda and coastal resorts. This is true in other countries, which have offshore wind farms. They generate electricity while also serving as tourist attractions. 

Offshore wind farms are becoming tourist attractions

Countries that have been building offshore energy projects for some time are welcoming tourists to visit the sites. For example, in Denmark a tourist vessel can sail up to Anholt Offshore Wind Farm, which has 111 wind turbines, and Middelgrunden Offshore Wind Farm, which is located in the Baltic Sea near Copenhagen, offers special tours to the offshore wind farm site.

Netherlands are welcoming tourists to sail the North Sea and visit the Offshore Wind Farm Egmond aan Zee to learn more about the wind energy. Visitors are also welcome at Thorntonbank Wind Farm in Belgium and Nordsee Ost offshore wind farm in Germany. Such attractions are also popular in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

“It’s easy to imagine that Lithuania could also have tourist vessels sailing to and from the offshore wind farm, with accommodation, catering, bike rent and other services waiting for them on land. Curonian Nord has a potential to generate a lot of value for local residents: just like for example the Ostend resort in Belgium, which is famous for its golden beaches, beloved by tourists, and has 9 offshore wind farms nearby,” states A. Roikjær, the representative of Ignitis Renewables.

You can find more information about the project at curoniannord.com.

The majority, or 76% of the surveyed Lithuanians agree that renewables are strengthening Lithuania’s energy independence. The data comes from a representative survey of Lithuanian residents. Residents favour electricity generated using solar, offshore and onshore wind energy the most.

“Lithuanians consider renewable energy as a very significant contributor to the national energy independence. The survey shows that 77% of the population agrees to the statement that for Lithuania it’s strategically important to be able to generate all the electricity it needs itself. Nearly the same number of respondents (76%) believe that Lithuania’s energy independence is being strengthened by developing renewables,” says Paulius Kalmantas, Communication Partner at an international green energy company Ignitis Renewables.

According to him, residents have a strong opinion on local green energy generation. According to the survey, only 3–4% of residents have doubts regarding these statements and only a fifth of them have no opinion.

Developing renewable energy is one of the most important goals when it comes to national energy independence. Lithuania is implementing its National Energy Independence Strategy and has an ambitious objective to cover 100% of electricity needs of the country using renewable energy sources.

According to the representative from Ignitis Renewables, it’s a mission possible. “The projects we develop significantly contribute to increasing the local generation of electricity using renewable energy sources, thus reducing Lithuania’s dependence on electricity imports while facilitating the regional transition to a sustainable green energy hub,” says P. Kalmantas.

Solar and wind energy is favoured by the most

According to the survey, residents rate the electricity generation from solar and wind energy the most positively. 88% of the respondents perceive solar energy very positively or positively, and 77% of them have similar opinions on offshore energy. Additionally, nearly as many (75%) respondents also rate onshore wind energy positively or very positively.

“The survey data reveals that the reason for the positive attitude of respondents towards the development of solar and wind energy capacities is their contribution to the national energy independence. Residents also consider the energy generated by them as clean and easily utilised. Some of the residents are aware of and appreciate the possibility for communities living near our wind or solar farms to receive financial support,” notes P. Kalmantas.

The representative from Ignitis Renewables, which has been rapidly developing wind farms for a couple of years, notes that the respondents in the regions which already have or will soon have the company’s wind farms statistically have a more favourable perception of wind energy compared to the country’s average.

“This indicates that, as with all innovations, wind farms and the renewable energy sector are still shrouded in myths that are not true. We often fear what we do not know. The survey results and our constant engagement with local communities prove once again that residents who live near already operating renewable energy facilities are no longer subjected to misleading information about their impact on people’s health, farming, etc.,” says the representative of Ignitis Renewables.

The representative opinion survey of Lithuanian residents was performed by KOG Institute for Marketing and Communication Sciences in spring 2024. Residents of between ages of 18 and 64 from across Lithuania took an online survey. 1,009 individuals participated in the survey. Additionally, 200 residents from Western Lithuania (Tauragė, Jurbarkas, Kelmė and Mažeikiai) and 350 residents from the coastal region (Neringa, Kretinga, Palanga and Klaipėda) were surveyed via the phone or in person.

In the drive towards energy independence, the potential of offshore wind in electricity generation has lately been increasingly and actively discussed. Across Europe, countries are unveiling ambitious plans for new offshore wind energy projects, with the Baltic Sea occupying a particularly significant place on the map of pending transformation. In this regard, Lithuania is taking its first steps, where Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, is developing the region’s first offshore wind farm project, Curonian Nord.

The momentum towards offshore wind is reinforced by the European Wind Energy Charter, signed by energy ministers from EU member states and over 300 energy companies last year. This agreement underscores the urgent need to bolster onshore and offshore wind industries to meet Europe’s green objectives and achieve energy independence.

The Baltic Sea’s strategic importance in this energy revolution cannot be overstated, with its enormous wind energy potential being increasingly tapped in recent years, although there is still a long way to go before it is truly unlocked.

Ambitious national plans

The importance of the Baltic Sea in the wind energy sector cannot be overstated. Home to the world’s first offshore wind farm near Denmark’s Lolland Island, established in 1991, the region continues to lead in wind energy production.

Denmark dominates electricity production in the Baltic Sea, with half of the twenty wind farms currently operating in its waters. However, other countries surrounding the Baltic Sea are increasingly following the model.

The Baltic Sea’s relatively shallow waters and abundant winds are ideal for wind farm installations. Scientists and experts in the energy sector estimate the Baltic Sea’s wind energy potential is 93 gigawatts (GW), far surpassing current installations totalling just over 3 GW. With ambitious national plans underway, this figure will rapidly increase in the coming years.

“In a landmark declaration last year, eight states bordering the Baltic Sea committed to achieving a collective capacity of 19.6 GW from offshore wind farms by 2030. This ambitious goal aligns closely with the European Commission’s Green Deal, which aims to increase the EU’s offshore wind capacity to 60 GW by the same year, replacing the current 32 GW. Remarkably, the Baltic Sea alone is set to meet one-third of the Community’s targeted capacity. Only the North Sea, which is significantly larger and windier, has greater potential,” stated the Head of Offshore Development at Ignitis Renewables Vytautas Rimas.

Currently, offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea are exclusively operated by Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Finland, with Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia poised to join this exclusive group soon. Furthermore, new projects are planned in the countries that have already harnessed the Baltic Sea wind.

“One could say that a true wind energy breakthrough is beginning in the Baltic Sea, with some countries setting particularly ambitious targets. For instance Poland, which currently lacks offshore wind farms, plans to install 28 GW of capacity in its territorial waters by 2050. This would surpass even Denmark to become the leading electricity producer in the Baltic Sea,” said V. Rimas.

According to V. Rimas, this surge in ambition comes amid a heightened focus on energy security and sustainability, catalysed by geopolitical shifts and energy price volatility following Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. As emphasised by experts, investments in offshore wind not only enhance energy security, but also accelerate the transition to climate-neutral energy sources. “The inexhaustible nature of offshore wind power promises to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels significantly, aligning with broader environmental and national security imperatives. Moreover, electricity generation from wind is climate-neutral. Therefore, the development of offshore wind energy solves two European problems at once,” said the expert at Ignitis Renewables.

Small coastline – big potential

With the smallest coastline among Baltic Sea nations, Lithuania may not match the scale of its neighbours’ ambitions in offshore wind energy. Nonetheless, the country is poised to revolutionise its energy sector with significant strides in marine wind power.

According to the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP), Lithuania holds a promising offshore wind potential of 4.5 GW. By the early 2030s, Lithuania will have developed its inaugural offshore wind farm, Curonian Nord, boasting a capacity of approximately 700 megawatts (MW). This venture is projected to generate 3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of clean electricity annually, meeting a quarter of Lithuania’s current electricity demand.

“While Lithuania’s Baltic Sea footprint may be modest, harnessing its wind resources could potentially exceed our domestic electricity needs. This surplus not only positions Lithuania favourably in the electricity export market, but also paves the way for investments in cutting-edge renewable technologies like green hydrogen production,” stated V. Rimas.

Beyond energy impact, offshore wind projects promise substantial benefits to the country’s economy. The initial phase of the Curonian Nord project alone is expected to attract billion-dollar investments, create high-skilled jobs and invigorate both the coastal economy and Lithuania’s infrastructure sectors, including transport and construction as well as the development of the Klaipėda port.

“Not to mention that once the offshore wind farm is operational, the project developer will provide direct support to local communities. Ongoing support from project developers will directly enhance local communities, funding transformative improvements along the coastline. This means that coastal residents will receive funds to finance significant changes for them,” emphasised the Head of Offshore Development at Ignitis Renewables.

You can find more information about the project at curoniannord.com.