The European Commission has approved Polish offshore wind support policy following a state aid review.
The scheme is intended to support offshore wind farms and has a total maximum budget of €22.5bn running until 2030.
The aid will be granted in the form of a two-way contract-for-difference premium, during 25 years, but only up to 100,000 full load hours per MW of installed capacity.
Under the model, the variable premium is calculated as the difference between the reference price and the market price for electricity.
When the market price is below the reference price, beneficiaries will be entitled to receive payments equal to the difference between the two prices.
When the market price is above the reference price, beneficiaries will have to pay the difference between the two prices to the state.
Executive vice-president Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “This Polish scheme is a very good example of how competition policy can enable Member States to support green energy projects, such as offshore wind farms.
“It gives the incentive to companies to invest in such green projects where they would otherwise not have invested.
“We hope that we will see many such initiatives in the future, which contribute to the EU’s Green Deal, without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market.”
The scheme will roll out in two phases. During the first phase, offshore projects will be granted aid using the exception to the auction requirement, due to the existence of a very limited number of projects.
The reference price for projects in the first phase will be administratively fixed based on their costs, with a maximum set at €71.82/MWh.
After obtaining the environmental permit which will fix the final technical characteristics of the project, each project will submit an individual notification with a business plan to the Commission.
Based on the respective business plan, the Commission will assess individually the specific level of operating aid.
Under the second phase of the scheme, aid will be granted through open and competitive auctions which will be organised as of 2025, and the reference price of projects will be fixed based on the respective bid.