Under a draft government resolution, wind farms' installed capacity would reach 700 MW and a wind farm of this capacity in the Baltic Sea would produce approximately 2.5-3 TWh of electricity per year, which is 25% the country’s current electricity demand.
"Offshore wind will be a new and significant turning point in Lithuanian energy, as electricity generation from offshore wind is more efficient and has greater potential than onshore. Fierce competition will begin for investment in this area, and we need to be as well prepared as possible for this," Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas said in a statement.
The exact territory of the Baltic Sea where the development of wind turbines would be most efficient is provided for in the resolution. The territory planned in the Baltic Sea covers an area of 137.5 km2, with a distance from shore of approximately 29 km, an average water depth of 35 m, and an average wind speed of approximately 9 m/s.
The first auctions for offshore wind are planned to be announced in 2023. The power plants should be built and start generating electricity by 2030.
Currently, Lithuania has no find farms in its territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.