Next week, the act on promoting electricity generation in offshore wind farms enters into force, which gives producers the right to cover the so-called negative balance – i.e. the difference between the market price of energy and the price enabling entrepreneurs to cover the costs of producing electricity at sea. The support will be paid on the basis of a contract for difference. The provisions of the act introduce a two-stage system of supporting electricity generation in offshore wind farms.
As part of the so-called The “first phase” of the system operation, by the deadline of March 31, 2021, producers will be able to submit applications to the Energy Regulatory Office for granting the right to negative balance coverage for electricity that will be generated in an offshore wind farm and fed into the grid . Until 30 June 2021, support will be granted by way of an administrative decision of the President of the ERO. The aid granted by the decision of the President of the ERO will then be notified to the European Commission. Information and document templates are available on the ERO website, which will make it easier for entrepreneurs to submit relevant applications and improve the process of their examination.
The total installed electric capacity of offshore wind farms that may be supported in the first phase of the system operation may not exceed 5.9 GW. In the following years, support may be granted only in a competitive formula, ie through the auction mechanism. The regulations provide for the possibility of organizing auctions in the years 2025–2028. As part of their decisions, support will be available for offshore wind farms with a total installed electrical capacity not exceeding 5 GW.
Due to the scale and specificity of offshore investment processes, the period of support for electricity generated in an offshore wind farm is 25 years.