Lithuania moves on with first offshore wind farm

Project leaders Ignitis Renewables, which owns 51% of the shares, and partner Ocean Winds say the farm will cover an area of 120km².and will comprise between 35 and 50 turbines, with a maximum height of 350 metres. Their €20 million bid won the auction, held in August 2023, 

“The offshore wind farm is a significant step towards Lithuania’s energy independence,” the partners say. “This project will significantly increase local electricity generation from renewable energy sources and, thus, ensure lower dependence on electricity imports. It is the largest energy project in Lithuania, which will be the first country from the Baltic states to have an operating offshore wind farm.

“Our focus is on cultivating the necessary expertise for advancing supply chains essential for the successful development of offshore wind park projects in the Baltic Sea. By establishing a robust supply chain, we aim to leverage both local and international resources, ensuring sustained support throughout the duration of our projects.”

The project leaders have contracted Fugro to deploy its geophysical survey vessel, Fugro Frontier, to collect 2D ultra-ultra-high-resolution sub-surface data, as well as bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and magnetometer data.

“The 2,000 survey line kilometres of high-quality data collected will be crucial for characterising the site and identifying potential risks to an offshore wind farm development in this area,” says Fugro. “These insights will inform the selection of future geotechnical investigations and help create a detailed ground model that Ignitis Renewables will use to determine the optimal wind turbine foundation design and locations.” 

The wind farm will be at least 37km away from shore, and approximately 60km away from the Port of Klaipėda.