Industrial Development Agency is embarking on a new investment to support the growth of offshore wind energy (OWE).
On February 11, 2022 an agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) was concluded between portfolio companies of the Industrial Development Agency JSC (IDA) and the Spanish company GRI Renewable Industries, S.L. concerning cooperation in the construction of a new tower factory for offshore wind energy (OWE).
Estimated value of this investment is over EUR 100 million, and the production is expected to begin in 2024.
In order to meet the expectations and opportunities created by the dynamically growing offshore wind energy market in Poland and in Europe, IDA, with considerable support from Grupa Przemysłowa Baltic Ltd (GP Baltic), has initiated intensive efforts to build a new offshore wind tower factory. The planned investment will address the growing demand for wind towers, as well as significantly increase the engagement of Polish companies in the supply chain of the construction of offshore wind farms (OWF) in the Baltic Sea.
As part of the investment, located in Gdansk, an offshore tower production hall will be built to accommodate the largest planned wind turbines with a capacity of more than 13 MW. This modern production facility, designed and built according to the best Industry 4.0 standards, will have the capacity to manufacture more than 100 towers per year. The plant will meet the highest technical and quality standards set by key customers in the OWE market.
Offshore Wind Energy is currently one of the most rapidly growing energy sectors. The dynamic economic context driven by the energy policies of the European Union, the implementation of energy transformation processes in Poland, as well as the act on the promotion of electricity generated from offshore wind farms contribute to the significant increase of renewable energy’s share in energy production. Considering such context justifies IDA’s investment decision, as well as enables reaching new markets and provides an opportunity for steel structures manufacturers to gain unique competencies.
Industrial Development Agency JSC, as one of the signatories of the Sector Agreement for the Development of Offshore Wind Energy in Poland, currently undertakes several projects meant to stimulate the growth of OWE in Poland, and one of them is the aforementioned cooperation with GRI Renewable Industries, S.L.
Grupa Przemysłowa Baltic Ltd, IDA’s portfolio company, conducts various business activities concentrated in three major segments: wind towers, onshore / offshore steel structures and vessels. GP Baltic and its subsidiaries have manufactured more than 4,000 sections of onshore wind towers over the last 10 years, while they are now focusing on developing a product offer that will target the OWE sector.
GRI Renewable Industries, S.L. has been developing wind tower and flange manufacturing activities in the wind energy sector since 2008. GRI currently has 16 manufacturing facilities in Spain, the US, Brazil, Argentina, China, Turkey, India and South Africa, supplying high quality wind towers and flanges to the wind energy industry worldwide.