Polish offshore wind energy is facing a coordinated disinformation campaign that threatens not only investor confidence, but also the country’s energy security. As construction of the first Baltic wind farms progresses, false narratives about costs, technology and environmental impact are spreading rapidly, fueled by foreign actors and domestic extremist groups.
– The offshore wind sector is vulnerable to such operations because it combines several factors attractive to disinformers: novelty of the technology in Polish conditions, high public interest and a real impact on Poland’s energy security – says Janusz Bil, prezes Orlen Neptun, the company responsible for developing Orlen’s offshore projects.
Bil points out that disinformation is increasingly used across the entire renewable energy sector. Large-scale infrastructure projects are a natural target due to their strategic importance and high capital expenditure.
The most harmful myths about offshore wind
Among the most damaging narratives, Bil lists claims that offshore wind is too expensive and too weather-dependent to ensure grid stability. – In fact, offshore wind is the most stable renewable technology, offering a high capacity factor throughout the year. The Baltic Sea offers some of the best conditions in Europe for wind farm development – he explains.
Another false narrative suggests that Poland is investing in offshore wind at the expense of its own economy and will rely on used turbines bought from Western Europe. – This is an obvious untruth – says Bil. – Developers in Poland, including Orlen Neptun, consistently work to maximize local content, engaging Polish industry, shipyards, ports and service companies. A growing share of project value remains in Poland.
Bil notes that people without access to reliable information often unknowingly spread such falsehoods. Educational campaigns, such as the 'Morze Wiatru’ initiative supported by the Orlen Foundation, are crucial in countering this.
A call for political consensus and digital defense
The disinformation battle extends beyond public opinion. Bil warns that repeated false narratives can erode investor trust and regulatory stability, especially for projects with a lifespan of several decades. – Disinformation centers often exploit isolated statements from various political circles, giving them a false context and escalating the negative narrative in the media – he says.
Bil points to a concrete example: the Baltic Power project became the target of an organized disinformation campaign that started on TikTok and spread to other platforms. Analysis showed the narrative originated outside Poland and was amplified locally by individuals linked to an extremist political group.
– The biggest challenge is the political dispute that translates into contradictory messages about offshore wind and the entire RES sector – Bil adds. – Building a cross-party consensus for offshore wind development, similar to the situation with nuclear energy, could significantly reduce the effectiveness of disinformation and increase the sector’s resilience to such threats – he concludes.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PTWP
