Poland's Orlen to bid in Lithuania's maiden offshore wind tender

Polish oil refiner PKN Orlen SA (WSE:PKN) this week announced plans to take part in an upcoming tender for a 700-MW offshore wind project in Lithuania, due to be held in 2023.

In June 2020, Lithuania picked an area located about 29 km from shore and covering 137.5 sq km in average water depths of 35 m for the construction of its first offshore wind park. Developers for the site will be chosen in the country’s inaugural tender for offshore turbine capacity in its waters.

PKN Orlen’s decision supports its strategy to enhance its market position in Lithuania, where it operates through oil refining company Orlen Lietuva. Apart from expanding its existing refinery in the country, the Polish group is looking to invest in wind power and hydrogen production, as well as small modular reactors, which it said would enhance energy security in the region. Among its future projects is an up to 57-MW onshore wind farm near the Mazeikiai refinery.

“We are gearing up to make investment decisions for energy projects in Lithuania, which will be vitally important to the entire region,” said Daniel Obajtek, president of PKN Orlen’s management board.

PKN Orlen has an existing partnership with Canada’s Northland Power In (TSE:NPI) to co-develop the 1.2-GW Baltic Power offshore wind project in Poland. In February, the Polish firm submitted applications for seven new licences to develop offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.

The Orlen Group’s strategy calls for carbon neutrality by 2050.

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