Eni, through its subsidiary Eni gas e luce that will become Plenitude in 2022, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its New Markets Fund I, have extended their offshore wind partnership in France by signing an agreement to collaborate also in connection with the anticipated allocation of offshore wind areas in Poland.
By implementing the offshore wind act Poland has created the conditions for a sizable offshore wind build-out of more than 10 GW by 2030. As part of the build-out process, Eni gas e luce and CIP intend to apply for seabed permits with a view to participate in contract-for-difference auctions which are expected to take place in 2025 and 2027.
CIP and Eni gas e luce, together with their affiliates, aim to become an active and long-term partner for the Polish energy transition agenda, with a focus on renewable energy. CIP and Eni gas e luce will support efforts to develop a Polish offshore wind industry focusing on the establishment of a local manufacturing set-up and the re-skilling of the existing work force to boost local employment in this new industry sector. Maximizing local economic benefits is important in order to establish a long-term footprint and sustainable investment environment.
Stefano Goberti, CEO of Eni gas e luce commented ”Eni gas e luce aims to reach more than 6 GW of renewable installed capacity by 2025 backed by a visible project pipeline, with an objective to reach more than 15 GW of installed capacity by 2030. The development of the offshore wind segment represents an essential component of our growth strategy, and large emerging markets such as Poland offer an ideal context for generating value through our technological and industrial skills”.
Michael Hannibal, Partner in CIP commented “With its very substantial growth potential in renewable energies and Power-to-X, Poland is a strategic target market for CIP. Poland’s offshore wind plans represent an exciting opportunity for CIP to build on its track-record to deliver low-cost renewable energies while facilitating broad participation of the local economy and society.”
