Big tourism potential in the Baltic Sea: offshore wind farms attract lots of sightseers

As both Lithuanian residents and tourists from abroad are looking for new and exciting experiences, industrial tourism has seen a boost in popularity. The number of such points of interest that enrich visitors with knowledge and unexpected sensations has been increasing. The offshore wind farm, Curonian Nord, which is being developed by Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, could become one of the points of interest for tourists in Lithuania, and examples from other countries indicate that new niche services could emerge.

Mykolas Bistrickas, Director at the Museum of Energy and Technology of Lithuania, says that industrial and energy tourism is booming, and this trend will only grow because people are becoming more aware and curious.

“I have been working in this field since 2018 and am noticing the increase in its popularity both in Lithuania and abroad. I believe that the increase in popularity in energy tourism is related to the people’s increasing interest in ecology, renewable energy. These topics are important to all of us, so people are starting to look for their origins, for example, they are visiting the first public power plant in Vilnius, which reveals both the past and the future of the energy sector,” tells M. Bistrickas.

He illustrates the boost in popularity of industrial tourism with numbers – last year the Museum of Energy and Technology had 145,000 visitors, while it failed to reach 20,000 just five years ago. “This is true in other attractions as well. Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, which is being decommissioned, and other industrial, technical and heritage sites are also experiencing the growth in visitors,” assures M. Bistrickas.

Opportunities for local communities

There's no shortage of examples of industrial tourism becoming more popular in Lithuania, including an energy festival Mechanisms, which takes place in the capital, tours to Vilnius Combined Heat and Power Plant 2, Ekranas factory in Panevėžys as well as facilities of Ignitis Group, which are visited by thousands every year: Kruonis Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant, Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant and Vilnius and Kaunas Combined Heat and Power Plants.

Ignitis Renewables has already tested the waters by allowing tours to wind farms. Together with a public body Žaliasis Regionas and the municipality of Tauragė district, it started organising an education programme called the Wind is Coloured Green, where tourists are invited to visit an onshore wind farm located near Tauragė and learn how green electricity is being generated with the help of a natural phenomenon. Local community members were eager to join the programme. They were specially trained by Ignitis Group’s employees and are currently giving tours to visitors.

Anne-Marie Roikjær, Curonian Nord Project Director, is confident that the first Lithuanian offshore wind farm, Curonian Nord, could become a tourist attraction. “There are many examples in Lithuania and abroad, where the energy sector and tourism have great synergies. The offshore wind farm also has a huge potential to become an industrial tourism attraction. It will be impressive in terms of its size and strategic importance,” says A. Roikjær.

The Curonian Nord project is expected to increase the number of tourism services in Klaipėda and coastal resorts. This is true in other countries, which have offshore wind farms. They generate electricity while also serving as tourist attractions. 

Offshore wind farms are becoming tourist attractions

Countries that have been building offshore energy projects for some time are welcoming tourists to visit the sites. For example, in Denmark a tourist vessel can sail up to Anholt Offshore Wind Farm, which has 111 wind turbines, and Middelgrunden Offshore Wind Farm, which is located in the Baltic Sea near Copenhagen, offers special tours to the offshore wind farm site.

Netherlands are welcoming tourists to sail the North Sea and visit the Offshore Wind Farm Egmond aan Zee to learn more about the wind energy. Visitors are also welcome at Thorntonbank Wind Farm in Belgium and Nordsee Ost offshore wind farm in Germany. Such attractions are also popular in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

“It’s easy to imagine that Lithuania could also have tourist vessels sailing to and from the offshore wind farm, with accommodation, catering, bike rent and other services waiting for them on land. Curonian Nord has a potential to generate a lot of value for local residents: just like for example the Ostend resort in Belgium, which is famous for its golden beaches, beloved by tourists, and has 9 offshore wind farms nearby,” states A. Roikjær, the representative of Ignitis Renewables.

You can find more information about the project at curoniannord.com.