Interview with Wojciech Dąbrowski, President of the Management Board of PGE S.A. - Nobilis Media

     Wojciech Dąbrowski: Offshore wind energy is the most productively renewable energy source. More and more wind turbine manufacturers offer more and more capacities. At the same time, there is a clear decline in the average costs of currently implemented investments in offshore wind farms compared to investments undertaken just a few years earlier. The Baltic Sea is an exceptionally attractive reservoir in terms of wind conditions. This is also confirmed by the very good results of the research carried out by the PGE Group and completed in February 2020. This is a potential that must be put to good use. PGE's offshore plans include the construction of 3 wind farms with a total maximum capacity of up to 3.5 GW, of which 2.5 GW by 2030. This is a huge investment, but I also want to emphasize that it is not our last word. PGE Group plans further development towards offshore wind energy.

     Investments in offshore wind farms are capital-intensive projects that become financially more affordable over time. Financial institutions at national and European level are very interested in this kind of project. Financing the construction of PGE's offshore wind farms will be shared with a business partner. We will know the final amounts after signing the contracts for implementation.

     Each of the offshore wind farm projects will be notified, and the European Commission will have to look at each one separately and allow financing. The first meetings of the Polish delegation with the European Commission concerning the support system have already taken place. The Commission knows how important these projects are for Poland. We want the fastest and the cheapest possible implementation of the investment, so that these sources can be added to the energy mix. There are many potential financing options, for example: Modernization Fund, CEF for connections, Just Transition Fund or Innovation Fund. We are working on the possibilities of financing PGE's offshore investments from these funds.

     Offshore wind farms are not only an energy project, but also an economic one. The scale of investments in wind farms in the Baltic Sea is huge, therefore the basic challenge is to build a properly adapted port and extensive industrial and service facilities on land. Offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea will be built with the participation of Polish entrepreneurs.

     The supply chain of energy investments at sea may become a Polish export specialization. PGE's activities are an opportunity to involve Polish producers and suppliers of offshore technologies and to develop the steel and shipbuilding industries. However, there are many more benefits in the economic dimension. It is enough to mention the promotion of Polish producers and suppliers of technologies related to offshore in the world, which in the long run will increase the innovation of our economy and its development on the European market.

Thank you for the conversation .