Abstract
Faced with the European Union’s growing expectations regarding the intensification of energy generation from renewable sources, Poland, like many other European countries, has encountered the enormous challenge of introducing energy produced by offshore wind farms (OWFs) into the energy market. This article aims to present the current state of development of offshore wind farms (OWFs) in Poland and to identify the main opportunities and threats associated with the further development of this sector in the domestic and international context. The direction of the current rapid investment growth in this area stems from decisions of the European Parliament and the European Council, which require intensified efforts to increase the share of energy obtained from renewable sources in the energy mix. At the same time, the creation of an energy base in the form of offshore wind farms in Poland contributes to energy diversification and improves the country’s energy security. Several projects are currently underway in the Polish Baltic Economic Zone, the largest of which include Baltica 2 and Baltica 3, led by PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna and the Danish company Ørsted. The construction of off- shore wind farms encounters several barriers that hinder project implementation; however, long-term energy production can bring numerous benefits to Poland. This paper highlights the key advantages of offshore wind farm development, including Poland’s energy sovereignty, job creation, and strengthened efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The greatest threats, however, include an underdeveloped local supply chain, unpredictable legislative changes, and the risk of delays due to environmental requirements. Considering the limitations associated with the lack of production continuity and the ability to fully utilize the electricity generated by offshore wind farms, solutions for industrial-scale electricity storage are presented, including conversion to compressed air using compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology, and the conversion of electricity into chemical energy in the form of hydrogen (H2).