The offshore wind farm is planned to be built in 2028.

Wind energy stands out from other types of energy from renewable resources due to its sophistication and rapid technological progress. Energy produced from wind reduces air pollution, contributes to the mitigation of climate change, helps ensure energy security and reduces fossil fuel imports. Wind energy is inexhaustible, and expanding the wind energy sector creates new jobs and promotes regional development. It is worth noting that in the National Energy Independence Strategy, our country has an ambitious goal - to produce up to 100 percent of the country's electricity from renewable sources. In order to achieve these indicators, the role of wind energy, especially offshore, will only strengthen in the future.

It will reach about 300 meters (the highest point of the blade). 

Burying the foundation of wind farms into the seabed depends on the chosen type of foundation of the wind farm and the properties of the seabed soil. Since the average sea depth in the first offshore wind farm is about 35 meters, it is likely that the monopile foundation technology will be chosen for this sea depth. This type of foundation is a single, large-diameter foundation structural element that is driven into the seabed for potentially 30 meters or more. 

The area of the territory planned for the offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea is about 136.39 km². 

Possible changes to the natural environment will be defined in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and compensatory and preventive environmental protection measures will have to be implemented by the park developer. 

Offshore wind farms will not have a negative impact on either land or water recreational tourism. The offshore wind power plants will be located about 30 kilometers from the shore. 

Approximate forecast about 3 TWh. 

Currently, the biggest challenge to Lithuania's energy security is the lack of electricity generation. Offshore wind farm - one of the most important projects of Lithuania's energy independence will significantly increase the production of electricity from renewable energy resources and thus reduce Lithuania's dependence on electricity imports and contribute to lower electricity prices for residents.  

Stronger winds prevail in the sea, so more energy can be produced in a smaller area. On land, power plants of similar power would require much more space.  

The areas for the development of offshore wind energy were determined taking into account the use of the sea area for fishing, navigation, port and marina activities, nature protection, military purposes excavated areas for dredging the soil and feeding sand beaches, as well as the areas of the engineering infrastructure. 

About 1,300 new jobs are tentatively planned during the construction period of the park.  

International sea lanes and the most intensive fishing areas were taken into account when determining the suitable development areas for offshore wind energy. It will be possible to enter the territory of the wind farm after obtaining the permission of the owner. 

The construction will be carried out in the permitted areas in accordance with the environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements, which will ensure minimal invasion of the seabed. 

In countries where offshore wind farms have already been built, it has been observed that the foundations of the built wind farms become artificial reefs for marine life and vegetation. 

The environmental damage of offshore wind farms is minimal, especially compared to offshore oil and gas production. Ecosystem damage from wind farms is possible when the foundations of the farms are attached to or built on the seabed. However, various technologies are used to reduce potential damage, including: a bubble curtain that reduces sound propagation under water, or reducing the distance between individual power plants, thereby minimizing the number of potentially dangerous crossing corridors for birds, etc. Also, studies show that offshore wind farms become a kind of marine flora and fauna reserves that thrive due to restrictions on boat and fishing traffic near the farms. Such reserves provide shelter for native aquatic species. 

The ongoing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will assess the impact of the offshore wind farm, as well as provide recommendations and requirements to the developer. 

• The offshore wind farm will ensure lower electricity prices for Lithuanian residents and businesses;
• Energy produced from wind does not pollute the air and allows to reduce the impact on the climate;
• It is planned that the budget of Palanga city municipality will be supplemented by about 3 million. euros, which the park developer will be obliged to pay from the amount of electricity generated and supplied to the network;
• During the construction period, it is planned to create as many as 1.3 thousand. new jobs;
• The project will attract more than 1 billion EUR of private investments; 
• Development of Klaipėda seaport.

• It is planned that the budget of nearest city municipality will be supplemented by about 3 million. euros, which the park developer will be obliged to pay from the amount of electricity generated and supplied to the network;
• During the construction and exploitation period, it is planned to create as many as 1.3 thousand new jobs

Yes, the opinion of the residents of Palanga has already been taken into account: the distance from the planned 9 kilometers has been moved to 30 kilometers from the shore in the sea. 

Also, meetings with the community are organized: the first meeting took place on July 21 this year, in which the Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys also participated. 

Connecting the park will not pollute the sea coast.

The beaches will not be narrowed.

The preliminary value is about EUR 1.3-2 billion. 

The power supplied to the transmission network is 700MW. Main characteristics of the territory:  

• occupied area – 136.39 km²;  
• average depth – 35 meters;  
• distance from Klaipėda seaport is from 38 kilometers;  
• distance from the coast about 30 kilometers; 
• average wind speed is about 9 m/s (obtained by mathematical modeling (100 m above sea level)). 

Currently, the biggest challenge to Lithuania's energy security is the lack of electricity generation. New methods of energy generation are very important for Lithuania. 

The offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea is one of the most important projects envisaged in the National Energy Independence Strategy, which will increase local electricity production from renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on electricity imports. 

To be clear, one reactor of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) had a capacity of 1,500 MW: the planned offshore wind park is half of an IPP reactor, or 700 MW, and the two parks as a single reactor IPP reactor. 

The Ministry of Energy of Lithuania together with EPSO-G, group of energy transmission and exchange companies, and the public institution Lithuanian Energy Agency. The project is partially financed by the European Commission. 

Currently, some of the largest offshore wind development markets are Great Britain, Germany, China, Denmark and Belgium, accounting for nearly 93 percent capacity of installed offshore wind power plants. Some examples: 

• „Hornsea 2” – one of the world's largest offshore wind farms, located on the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea. The park consists of 165 wind turbines and can supply power over 1.4 million UK homes.  
• „Horns Rev 3” – the largest offshore wind farm in Scandinavia. The park consists of 49 wind turbines and is capable of supplying around 425,000 Danish households with electricity. 
• „Thornton Bank” – Belgium's first offshore wind farm is located in the North Sea. The park consists of 54 wind turbines and can supply around 600,000 Belgian households with electricity. 

If you did not find the answers you were looking for or if you have any comments, please share them by filling out the form F.A.Q. at the end of the section.

Is the 193 EURm approved subsidy by the EU, the maximum amount of support that can be granted to the project (i.e. the maximum incentive volume during the 15 years of the CfD)? Is the amount inflation linked? Given it’s a 2-sided CfD, is it correct to assume that the maximum support amount is the net support amount (i.e the net of top-up / payments to and from the Offshore wind farm company)?

2024-01-12 (updated 2024-03-04) The preliminary amount of support was calculated taking into account certain assumptions and market conditions. The amount of support depends on various variables and electricity price, therefore, the assumptions of the need for support amount depend on long-term electricity market price forecast. It is worth to note that the amount of support indicated in the European Commission’s decision is an estimate, i.e. preliminary and depending on the above-named circumstances may change, therefore, should not be understood as a maximum possible amount of support when submitting bids. In addition, it is worth to mention, that consultations with European Commission’s representatives showed that no procedural follow-up is needed.

Will I be able to find in sources (links) that is shared in previous email documentation drafts that will be signed with auction winner – contracts, agreements, guarantees etc.? Because at the moments everything is based on legislative documents or maybe that is intentional?

2024-01-30 We would like to confirm that the tender winner will have to sign at least several agreements with grid operator and state authorities (for example, with transmission system operator - connection agreement, with authority in charge of national security - an agreement related to compensation of measures necessary to assure national security, see Annex of the Government resolution in Lithuanian only) during the project design stage.

The tender winner will have to sign at least several agreements with grid operator after the offshore wind farms are constructed: balancing services agreement, agreement on the use of transmission grid.

All rules and requirements concerning offshore wind farm development and operation activities are stated in the legislative documents: https://offshorewind.lt/lt/teisine-aplinka/.

What duration of assurance of fulfillment of obligations must be provided to AB Litgrid after the signing of the letter of intent?

2024-01-17 According to Article 21¹, Part 1 of the Law on Electricity, the assurance of fulfillment of obligations provided by the Bidder must be valid for 30 calendar days longer than the letter of intent. In the letter of intent, the tenderer undertakes to prepare to connect his electrical devices to the power grid within a specified period, and the power grid operator to connect this person's electrical devices to the power grids controlled by him within a specified period.

Are there any restrictions on when the winning bidders can perform direct or indirect transfers of the project to other entities (divestments)?

2024-01-12 Vadovaujantis Atsinaujinančių išteklių energetikos įstatymu, asmuo, gavęs leidimą plėtrai ir eksploatacijai, neturi teisės įgalioti kitų asmenų verstis šiame leidime nurodyta veikla arba perduoti jiems šios teisės pagal sutartį ar kitais pagrindais.

However, it should be noted that the shares of the winning company may be sold or transferred to other persons (i) after the winner of the tender is announced if the winning company is the solo player, (ii) after the joint company is established and registered with the Legal Entities Register in case several companies participated in the tender based on the joint venture agreement or other similar legal base).

Please also be aware that some additional procedures are planned in the future for such cases when at least the qualified stake of the winning company shares is transferred – it is planned that the National Energy Regulatory Council would have to be informed and would execute verification of a new qualified shareholder including verification on the correspondence to national security requirements.

Is the strike price / transaction price awarded a nominal or inflation linked price?

2024-01-12 Konkurso laimėtojo pasiūlyta sandorio kaina nėra susieta  su infliacijos rodikliais, t. y. sandorio kaina yra nominali ir skiriama visam  15 metų trukmės skatinimo laikotarpiui. Pažymime, kad konkurso dalyvių pageidaujama sandorio kaina negali viršyti  Valstybinė energetikos reguliavimo tarybos 2023-07-13 nutarimu Nr. O3E-930 patvirtintos didžiausios galimos elektros energijos iš atsinaujinančių išteklių pirkimo–pardavimo sandorio kainos, kuri yra 107,18 Eur/MWh ir negali būti mažesnė už žemiausią sandorio kainos ribą –  64,31 Eur/MWh. 

Is it the winner of the bid required to pay for both the development and construction of the onshore transmission system required for the injection of power into the grid albeit the TSO is responsible for the construction of it?

2024-01-12 Vadovaujantis Atsinaujinančių išteklių energetikos įstatymu, konkurso laimėtojas įrengia, eksploatuoja, nuosavybės teise valdo infrastruktūrą, reikalingą atsinaujinančius išteklius naudojančioms elektrinėms prijungti prie elektros perdavimo tinklų, nuo šių elektrinių iki elektros tinklų operatoriaus nurodyto prijungimo taško ir atsakomybės ribų transformatorių pastotėje sausumos teritorijoje (nuoroda į išankstines prijungimo sąlygas). Konkurso laimėtojas elektros tinklų operatoriaus nustatyta tvarka padengia elektros tinklų operatoriaus patirtas transformatorių pastotės sausumos teritorijoje plėtros, reikalingos šioms elektrinėms prijungti, sąnaudas. Atsakydami į Jūsų klausimą, patvirtiname, kad konkurso laimėtojas turės sumokėti tiek vystymo mokestį (jei jį siūlys), tiek visas su jūrinio vėjo elektrinių parko prijungimu susijusias infrastruktūros įrengimo išlaidas. AB „Litgrid“ skelbiamose išankstinėse prijungimo sąlygose yra nurodyta jūrinio vėjo parko prijungimui reikalingos perdavimo tinklo dalies plėtros schema. Perdavimo tinklo operatoriaus dalies plėtra gali būti įgyvendinama AB „Litgrid“ arba konkurso laimėtojo jėgomis, tačiau abiem atvejais visas infrastruktūros plėtros išlaidas turės padengti konkurso laimėtojas.