Regional cooperation is key to ensure security of energy supply in the EU. States from the Baltic Sea area face an opportunity to create a truly regional green energy market. Wind energy will be the largest player on that market.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding being part of the initiative to extend the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan was crucial to the strengthening of the cooperation between the states from the Baltic Sea region. The document assumes deeper cooperation in the area of energy between the Baltic Sea states through, among others, joint assessment of generation adequacy, development of grid infrastructure and joint RES development initiatives.

“IHS CERA demonstrated that more than 100 GW of new green capacity may be built in the Baltic Sea region by 2030. Two thirds of that figure will be in onshore and offshore wind farms, with a further quarter in PV. Regional cooperation will enable to use more of the tremendous RES potential and contribute to better integration of the energy market in the European Union,” said Izabela Kielichowska, Vice-President of the Polish Wind Energy Association.

The development of the regional cooperation between particular Member States is encouraged by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council. The cooperation is necessary to meet the EU 2030 RES targets (the share of green energy in gross energy consumption is to reach 27%). However, to strengthen regional cooperation one needs to develop solutions bringing additional value added for all countries of the region.

First of all, the necessary system security level and electricity demand in the region has to be defined. A substantial modernisation and development of the existing transmission infrastructure, including interconnectors, and the development of the Baltic Power Rail for integrated offshore development is key. Moreover, it is necessary to develop a joint methodology for the assessment of power system security in the region and, possibly, to develop a joint strategy for the development of the energy mix. The European Commission proposes the Baltic Sea region to introduce three pilot solutions for the entire energy market in Europe:

  • develop a proposal of a joint 2030 action plan for RES development in the region. The plan is to be created by 2018,
  • closer cooperation of RES support schemes or establishment of a joint offshore support scheme,
  • deep adjustments to the energy market leading to better RES integration with the market.

An incentive to develop cooperation within the region may also be created by additional funds allocated for the purpose. The funds may be provided by, for example, the European Fund for Regional Development, the Cohesion Fund or the European Fund for Strategic Investments. Co-financing of projects tightening cooperation within the region would make them much more attractive to investors.

The Baltic Sea region, including Poland, Scandinavia or the Baltic States may be the leader in the establishment of the common energy market and the leader in RES development in Europe. Better coordination of national energy policies will enable more efficient use of existing resources. For Poland this may entail additional development possiblities.

“The recent “Driving regional cooperation forward in the 2030 renewable energy framework” report by H. Boell Stiftung and Ecofoys includes development scenarios and recommendations for the development of a common energy market around the Baltic. Poland should actively join the discussion on the new EU energy market now and be an active player on one of the submarkets. We have a great potential to become one of the leaders exporting energy to other countries,” said dr Arkadiusz Sekściński, Vice-President of PWEA.

DG Energy stresses that regional cooperation in the area of RES perfectly matches the Energy Union concept and expects the Baltic Sea states to specify a roadmap for green energy development after 2020 by the end of 2018, becoming the EU leader in that respect.

The Baltic Sea regional cooperation was the subject of the “Baltic Sea Region Market – the Role of Wind” panel organised by the Polish Wind Energy Association (PWEA) during the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) Conference, held in Paris on 17-20 November.