Tusk Bets on Offshore Wind Power for AI Centers
The expansion of offshore wind power in Poland could meet the growing electricity demand of data centers and artificial intelligence applications in the future. Prime Minister Donald Tusk made this statement on July 10. At the same time, he emphasized that electricity from offshore wind farms must remain competitive in order to make investments attractive in the long term.
Offshore Wind Power as the Foundation for Digitalization
“This scale allows us to think ambitiously about projects that are essential for the development of artificial intelligence, the entire cyberspace, and data centers,” Tusk said, according to the state news agency PAP, during a press conference in Choczewo, northern Poland.
His remarks came on the occasion of the first feed-in of electricity from the Baltic Power offshore wind farm into the Polish power grid via the Choczewo substation.
Competitive Electricity Prices Remain Crucial
According to the prime minister, Poland’s growing economy will require significantly more electricity in the future. That is why the government is committed to a diversified energy mix in which renewable energy plays a central role.
However, the price of electricity will be the decisive factor for the second phase of offshore wind energy expansion.
“I am very pleased with these achievements at sea. Offshore wind energy is a source of satisfaction and pride, but investors must bear in mind that this electricity must be competitive,” Tusk explained.
Baltic Power Supplies Electricity to Millions of Households
Baltic Power is a joint venture between the Polish energy company Orlen and the Canadian company Northland Power. Once all 76 wind turbines are fully operational, the wind farm will have an installed capacity of approximately 1.2 GW. So far, 54 turbines have been installed.
The wind farm is expected to generate approximately four terawatt-hours of electricity annually. This corresponds to about three percent of Poland’s current electricity consumption, or the needs of more than 1.5 million households.
In addition, Baltic Power could reduce CO₂ emissions from Polish electricity generation by up to 2.8 million metric tons per year compared to conventional energy sources.
Offshore Expansion and Nuclear Energy
Baltic Power is the first of several offshore projects that are to be connected to the power grid via Choczewo in the future. The infrastructure being built there is intended to eventually accommodate electricity from six offshore wind farms with a total capacity of more than 6 GW—more than the capacity of the Bełchatów lignite-fired power plant.
Poland plans to expand its offshore wind capacity to approximately 5.9 GW by 2030. By 2040, it is expected to rise to about 18 GW.
At the same time, Poland’s first nuclear power plant is also being built in Choczewo, with commissioning scheduled for the late 2030s.