Poland prepares draft law to simplify environmental procedures for offshore wind farms

The Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment has begun work on amendments to the law on access to environmental information, public participation and environmental impact assessment. The aim is to make permit procedures more efficient, clearer and digitally accessible, including by establishing more precise definitions of parties, increasing opportunities for direct information and introducing mandatory electronic submission of environmental impact assessment applications. Competence for issuing environmental decisions will be transferred from local authorities to regional authorities, and the rules on the validity of these decisions and their transfer to other owners will be clarified.

---

Source: CMS Law-Now^TM, 26.05.2025.

Different scales of maritime spatial planning affect the accuracy of offshore wind planning

---

The scale and level of detail of maritime spatial planning (MSP) documents significantly affect the ability to identify suitable areas for offshore wind projects. Poland has started to develop detailed maritime plans at a scale of 1:25,000, which allows for the integration of data on environmental protection, shipping routes, military zones and fisheries, thus reducing the risk of conflicts of interest. Lithuania (1:100,000) and Latvia, on the other hand, continue to use a relatively coarse scale (1:250,000), which is unable to offer sufficient precision to support the granting of exploration licenses for specific offshore wind projects. Without a detailed MSP, it becomes more difficult to determine whether the selected area is indeed suitable for offshore wind development and whether it will not create irresolvable conflicts with other interests. Furthermore, the Baltic States lack mechanisms to flexibly update these plans in line with new data or industry initiatives. This makes the planning process static and may become an obstacle to investment in the long term. To achieve EU goals, MSP systems need to be made more dynamic and better linked to the timeline of offshore wind projects.

Estonian government approves first building permit for offshore wind farm

The Estonian government has approved a draft law that would grant the first construction permit in the country’s history for the construction of an offshore wind farm. The permit will be granted to Saare Wind Energy OÜ, which plans to build a wind farm off the west coast of Saaremaa Island.

The planned farm will consist of up to 100 turbines at least 11 km from the coast, with a total capacity of up to 1,400 MW. It could start producing electricity as early as the beginning of 2030. Continue reading “Estonia approves offshore wind farm”

Estonia provides public access to licences and applications via a digital geoportal

The Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA), in cooperation with the Land and Spatial Development Authority, has introduced a publicly accessible mapping system where it is possible to view the status of offshore wind energy projects’ “building rights license” (superficies licences) that have been applied for and issued. This digital geoportal, maintained by the Land and Spatial Development Administration, provides transparency, which is essential for assessing investment risk.

---

Source: Land and Spatial Development Board (Republic of Estonia), 16.04.2025.

Lithuanian government approves significant changes to 700 MW offshore wind auction rules

Following the announcement in November 2024 and suspension in January 2025 of the 700 MW offshore wind auction, the Lithuanian government has approved amendments to promote competition and reduce the impact on electricity prices. Key changes: price indexation reduced from 23 to 8 years (savings of ~500 million EUR), the auction will only be successful with at least two participants, consumer payments will only start after the park becomes operational (around 2033), profit tax may be redirected to finance public services, and the priority given to offshore wind over onshore wind and solar has been removed. The Ministry of Energy estimates that the park’s operation could reduce the average price of electricity in Lithuania by ~3 EUR/MWh. The amendments will be submitted to the Parliament (Seimas).

---

Source: BalticWind.EU, 15.04.2025.

Participation in WindEurope 2025 in Denmark, Copenhagen

Under the project “Life-cycle of an offshore wind farm in the legal framework: the case of Latvia”, participation took place in the WindEurope Annual Event from April 8-10, 2025, in Copenhagen, Denmark. A poster presentation was given with a recorded oral report entitled “State-of-the-art of the legislative framework for the development of offshore wind farms in the Baltic States and Poland.” Continue reading “Participation in WindEurope 2025 conference”

Poland submits draft law to simplify offshore wind farm procedures and improve investment environment

In February 2025, the Polish government submitted amendments to the Act on the Promotion of Electricity Production in Offshore Wind Farms and other regulatory acts to improve the investment environment, accelerate project implementation and implement the requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III). These include conditional pre-qualification for participation in auctions, an intervention auction mechanism, the possibility for two projects to use one offshore substation, more flexible rules for the placement of turbine foundations, and the possibility for projects that did not receive full support in the first phase to participate in subsequent auctions.

The amendments also introduce a procedure for setting the euro exchange rate for calculating price caps, the development of digital renewable energy potential maps, accelerated development zones and municipal energy cooperatives, which would allow local communities to produce and manage their own energy.

---

Sources: Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland, Baker Tilly Legal Poland, 17.03.2025.

Poland maintains leadership in the Baltic Sea with 90 offshore wind projects and a special law

Poland, which already has specific law on offshore wind energy in place since 2021 – the Act on the Promotion of Electricity Production in Offshore Wind Farms, has identified up to 90 project sites, according to 4C Offshore data. In total, Poland aims to develop up to 33 GW of capacity. The country plans to establish detailed marine spatial plans (1:25,000) and mark new zones with digital mapping and accelerated procedures. This legislative approach makes Poland a potential model for other Baltic countries.

---

See Polish Wind Energy Association (PSEW); 4COffshore

RED III infringement procedures keep pressure on Baltic states

---

Although Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland have begun implementing the RED III requirements, the European Commission is continuing infringement proceedings against all four countries. These proceedings are most often related to the lack of formally approved status for renewables acceleration areas, the absence or incomplete functionality of a single contact point, and the lack of digital tools. The Commission’s guidelines clearly emphasize that without these components, Member States will not be able to fully announce tenders or attract EU co-financing. This regulatory pressure from Brussels is a factor that accelerates national reforms, but at the same time creates additional instability in investment planning. Legal certainty and a predictable timetable are important for international developers, but the current situation in the Baltics creates a lot of uncertainty. Many local governments and environmental agencies are not sufficiently prepared to implement reforms – there is a lack of staff, training, and interagency coordination. This shows that legal reforms are only the first step: actual implementation requires long-term institutional capacity and effective management.