Baltic Power offshore wind farm, off Poland, will be one of the first in the world to be built using low-emission steel made from recycled raw material in an electric arc furnace powered by renewable energy.
The use of this material will reduce the turbine’s lifecycle carbon footprint by 10%.
The 1.2GW Baltic Power offshore wind farm will start production in 2026 and will be able to power more than 1.5 million households.
Sustainably produced steel will be used for the components of the towers on which the nacelles will be mounted.
This material will be used for the top elements of 52 of Baltic Power’s 76 towers.
The sustainable material will account for 15% of the total steel used, according to Vestas, the supplier of the farm’s turbines, which has partnered with ArcelorMittal to supply low emissions steel.
ArcelorMittal’s process uses almost entirely recycled raw material, melted in an electric arc furnace powered by renewable energy from wind power.
This will reduce the CO2 intensity by 66% per kilogram of steel compared to conventional steel.
“As the first offshore wind farm in Polish waters, Baltic Power is the beginning of a new chapter in Poland and is raising the bar on project sustainability.
“As an industry whose mission is to build a net-zero future, we look for innovative ways to execute on our vision across the entire value chain.
“This new technology does just that, setting a new standard for the entire global offshore wind industry to ensure we’re sourcing sustainable materials to further reduce carbon footprints,” said Mike Crawley, President and Chief Executive Officer for Northland Power.