European and national offshore wind energy policy in the Baltic Sea Region A regional status report

The energy policy of the European Union (EU) aims to unify energy markets of the Member States and facilitate a safe and sustainable transition to renewable energy. The development of offshore wind energy (OWE) in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), along with the construction of a meshed grid, can contribute significantly to renewable energy production and enhance interconnections between BSR countries. The BSR has great potential to become a major hub for wind energy production but faces significant barriers to integrating regional markets, including asynchronous power systems and energy isolation. The following report was developed within the scope of Baltic InteGrid (Integrated Baltic Offshore Wind Electricity Grid Development), an interdisciplinary Interreg research project bringing together experts from Member States present in the BSR to coordinate the implementation of these policy objectives. The goal of the Baltic InteGrid project is to track current regional, national, and European energy developments and propose recommendations to optimise regulatory frameworks. The report examines policy and regulatory frameworks relevant to the development of OWE and grid infrastructure in the BSR. It also identifies barriers to this development, which will be addressed in greater detail in future Baltic InteGrid research.