Equinor has selected a contractor for a service base in Łeba for offshore wind farms Baltic Sea

Equinor has selected the Polish company Erbud as the contractor for the construction of an operations and service base in Łeba. 

The realisation of the construction of the service base in Łeba is crucial for the operation of the Baltic Sea offshore wind farms Bałtyk 2 and 3, a joint venture between Equinor and Polenergia, which are being built in the Baltic Sea. The base will permanently employ dozens of highly qualified specialists. Equinor's goal is to have as many employees as possible come from the local labor market. The new jobs created and the need for cooperation with the local supply chain have the potential to open a new chapter in the history of Łeba and the region.

- The base will be a service and maintenance center for our wind farms in the Bałtyk for several decades. At the same time, this venture will create opportunities for the development of the city and the region and will significantly increase the possibility of finding attractive, stable employment in the local labor market. I am glad that a Polish company will be responsible for the construction of this important element of the infrastructure of the Bałtyk 2 and 3 wind farms - says Michał Jerzy Kołodziejczyk, Country Manager of Equinor in Poland.

Erbud will build on the revitalized port area a modern, environmentally and people-friendly office space, a remote command and control center for offshore wind farms, a warehouse for spare parts and a wharf for mooring vessels. Preparatory work on the site of the future base began in late 2024/early 2025, construction of the facilities is scheduled to begin in March 2025, and the facility is scheduled to be commissioned in mid-2026.

Design and local materials

The operations and maintenance base has been designed as an energy-efficient facility. The buildings will be powered in part by renewable energy from the company's own PV panels, and indoor heat will be generated by heat pumps. In addition, the buildings will be equipped with recuperation systems and also rainwater collection and use.

The base, which is being built on a 1.5-hectare plot of land, will be gradually expanded, adapting it to the needs of ongoing operations throughout the approximately 30-year life of the offshore wind farms. Thanks to a 140-meter-long quay, it will be able to accommodate up to four vessels designed to transport workers (so-called CTVs) for wind farm operations at a time.

The low-rise building blocks, which include a warehouse and an office area (both of which are approximately 1,000m2 with the possibility of expansion), will blend in with the surrounding landscape. The project assumes the use of regionally occurring pine or spruce wood and cooperation with local suppliers and contractors of wooden structures. As many of the new materials used in construction as possible are expected to meet parameters that will allow them to be reused in the future.

Employee-friendly architecture

The facility designed to be environmentally neutral will also feature solutions that are friendly to its users. Equinor and the designers have provided for numerous elements that allow for healthy and pleasant work. A friendly work environment will be created by, among other things, maximizing the use of daylight through the use of large glass areas, planning recreational space and a high proportion of greenery. The interior design will be based on natural materials, and comfort will also be influenced by recuperation, which improves indoor air quality.

The heart of offshore wind farms - the development of Łeba and the region

Thanks to the planned investments, Łeba has a chance to become one of the operational centers for the newly emerging offshore wind energy sector. The new jobs and supply needs created will provide opportunities for cooperation with the local supply chain and open a new chapter in the offshore tradition of Leba and the region.

Łeba is also home to the Baltic Offshore Wind Farm Information Center. It is Poland's first year-round information and education point on offshore wind energy. One of its most important tasks is to spread knowledge about joint projects implemented in the Baltic Sea by Equinor and Polenergia.

Equinor, committed to Poland's green transformation, also supports, as part of the global Heroes of Tomorrow program, the Łeba Sailing Club, engaging in activities to develop sports activities for children and young people.

Offshore wind farms Bałtyk - key information

Equinor and Polenergia are jointly developing three Bałtyk offshore wind farm projects in the Polish sea, with a total capacity of up to 3,000 MW.

The Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 projects, with a total capacity of 1440 MW, are being built in the first phase of offshore wind power development in Poland. The projects are located in the Polish exclusive economic zone of the Baltic Sea, between 22 and 37 km from the coastline.

The first energy from the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 wind farms is expected to flow into the grid as early as 2027, the commercial phase of their operation is planned from 2028.