In this sixth article of our series, we will look at the challenges facing the Baltic States, as they look to realise the potential of wind power in this region.
As explored in Part 5 of this series, the Baltic States have a combined installed wind power capacity of just 1.26 GW [1], which is only a small fraction of their estimated potential capacity. This article will explore why this is, and how it could be changed.
Figure 1: Wind farm in the Baltic Sea [2]
Regulatory and Infrastructure Challenges
A big challenge facing investment in wind power in the Baltic States is the current regulatory environment resulting in complex and lengthy processes for developers to navigate in order to launch projects in the region. Some positive steps have been made recently to simplify the regulatory environment, but there are still challenges for developers in terms of adapting to these environments. [3]
Another important factor are infrastructure challenges, such as developing grid connections and port infrastructure in the region, which will greatly assist the viability of wind power development. There have been some high-profile projects which have sought to improve energy infrastructure, such as the Harmony Link project, but the more this continues the potential for wind power in the Baltic States will become.
Current Industry Challenges
There are also other factors presenting challenges to wind power developments currently, many of which are not specific to the Baltic States, but which may significantly affect investment in the area. Some of the most challenging at the moment are high interest rates in many countries, which disincentivises investment in general, and supply chain issues caused by the current challenges to global shipping. Wind turbine components typically have a long supply chain with many suppliers and manufacturers involved, as such the additional costs and delays caused by shipping disruption can be exacerbated. [4]
Despite the challenges, there are currently very promising signs that the wind power industry is developing well in the Baltic States, with ambitious targets being set and strides being made to develop the industry and improve regulatory environments to attract investment and development. The future is promising for wind power in the Baltic States.
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References
[1] Latvia (0.14 GW), Estonia (0.31 GW), Lithuania (0.81 GW)
[2] John Samuel (August 2019) from WikiCommons. Accessed on: 25th March 2024.
[4] Highlights from the Baltic Sea Offshore Wind 2024 Outlook Webinar. Accessed on 25th March 2024 at https://balticwind.eu/highlights-from-the-baltic-sea-offshore-wind-2024-outlook-webinar-2/
