DUSHANBE, December 5, 2012, Asia-Plus -- The 7th Energy Forum took place in Sopot, Poland from November 29 to December 1.  The forum participants, in particular, noted that investments in new power units are necessary in order to maintain national energy security.  Energy capacities to be achieved by 2020 are due to replace some of the old power units that must be switched off.  Those new facilities should be powerful enough to meet the rising energy consumption.

Speaking at the forum, Slawomir Nowak, Minister of Transport, Construction and Maritime Economy of Poland noted that plans of coastal countries are impressive and offshore wind power is likely to become a significant part of the energy mix in coming years.  Referring to the situation in Poland, Mr. Nowak stated that his ministry had already prepared a plan for building offshore wind farms and in this situation Poland was nearly ready for development of offshore wind energy.

Minister Nowak reported that Poland had the best conditions for construction of offshore wind farms among Baltic countries.  This year the Ministry of Maritime Economy reportedly received 60 applications for erection of wind farms, we have issued already 14 permissions and five investors paid already the amount of 0.1% of the entire investment for their permissions.

The head of Poland’s construction ministry convinced that in Polish realities offshore wind power sector was likely to become a more effective source of energy than onshore wind farms.  

The Renewable Energy Law, which is scheduled to be adopted by the end of 2013, is expected to aid the investment processes related to green energy, while offshore wind power should receive special preferences in that law, the minister noted.

Mr. Nowak mentioned also the plans of establishing an "energy hub" in Pomerania, whose components were expected to be nuclear energy, shale gas and offshore wind energy. – Pomerania could become both producer and exporter of energy – convinced the head of construction ministry.