Ignitis Renewablesan international green energy company, has completed the environmental impact assessment (EIA) program for Lithuania’s first offshore wind farm. Based on this program, the EIA itself will be prepared, according to the company.
Lithuania’s first offshore wind farm: energy commitment
Anne-Marie Roikjær, Project Manager for the offshore wind farm, emphasized the company’s commitment to balancing the generation of electricity with the generation of energy. clean electricity and nature protection, ensuring that all necessary measures will be taken to minimize the environmental impact of the project and, when it is not possible to avoid it, compensatory measures will be implemented to improve the state of the environment.
Lina Žibienė, Head of Environment and Permitting at Ignitis Renewables, explained that the EIA has several key objectives. First, it is essential to identify and assess the impact of the planned wind farm on individual environmental components, such as land surface and underlying areas, air, water, landscape and biodiversity, paying special attention to animal and plant species and protected areas.
In addition, Žibienė stressed the importance of assessing the impact on public health and other social aspects. The EIA report, commissioned by Ignitis Renewables, will be conducted by the Coastal Planning and Research Institute. It is expected that the final decision on the environmental impact of the offshore wind farm is expected to be received by the end of 2025.
The report will assess the planned offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea, whose designated offshore area is approximately 120 square kilometers. The project area is located no less than 36 kilometers offshore, approximately 60 kilometers from the Port of Klaipėda, with depths varying from 28 to 48 meters and an area with average annual wind speeds of 9-10 m/s. Up to 55 wind turbines are planned to be installed, with a maximum height of up to 350 meters.
As a reminder, wind speed measurements and other studies necessary for project implementation are underway, as well as geotechnical and geophysical surveys of the seabed and other preparations that will be used during the EIA process.
The Lithuanian government held the auction, the country’s first for an offshore wind project, last year. In July 2023, the government provisionally selected the joint venture between Ocean Winds and Ignitis Renewables. Three months later, it officially confirmed the joint venture as the developer of Lithuania’s first offshore wind farm.
Scheduled to begin operations by 2030, the offshore wind farm will have an installed capacity of 700 MW and is expected to generate up to 3 TWh of electricity annually, which could meet up to a quarter of Lithuania’s current electricity demand.
A milestone in Lithuania’s energy transition
The breakthrough of Lithuania’s first offshore wind farm is not only a significant step towards the diversification of its energy matrix, but also a crucial milestone in its transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
This project, designed to generate up to 3 TWh of electricity annually, has the potential to meet up to a quarter of the country’s current electricity demand. This effort not only reflects Lithuania’s commitment to global environmental goals, but also sets a precedent for the integration of renewable energy solutions in the Baltic region, ushering in a new era in energy production that prioritizes both sustainability and energy security.
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Source: offshorewind.biz
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