Offshore wind (OW) is expected to play a significant role in Poland’s energy transition in the future, contributing to increasing the share of renewable energy sources in national electricity production and strengthening Poland’s energy security by reducing dependence on fossil fuels. By the end of this decade, it is planned to integrate the first 6 GW of generating capacity into the national electricity system, while in the long term, the target is to reach 18 GW by 2040. The development of OW also has a positive impact on the economy, creating new jobs as well as business and investment opportunities in the area of green technologies.
Despite these benefits, the deployment of OW is also associated with some risks for local communities living along the Polish Baltic coast. In particular, concerns have been raised about the impact of the construction and operation of offshore wind farms on the condition of the fisheries sector – both by affecting fish populations and limiting access to the fishing grounds. This may lead to increasing conflict situations between different categories of users of the Baltic Sea.
Faced with this risk, the Instrat Foundation is implementing a project to formulate proposals for public support for entrepreneurs and employees affected by the negative impacts of the deployment of OW, in line with the principles of a just energy transition. The project includes an analysis of risks and problems as well as the development of solutions in cooperation with key stakeholders in the process.
Experts of the Instrat Foundation support the development of renewable energy in Poland and have experience in regional strategies for a just energy transition, obtained, among other things, through cooperation with coal regions in the process of developing Territorial Just Transition Plans.
