Touted as the 1st large scale power plant combining solar and wind energy in Poland, a 200 MW project of Lewandpol Group to be equipped with n-type solar panels, has raised up to PLN 90 million ($21 million) subordinated loan from a fund managed by the state-owned financial group, Polski Fundusz Rozwoju (PFR).
The Kleczew Solar & Wind Power plant will also be one of the largest renewable energy parks in Central and Eastern Europe, according to PFR. It is planned to be located on post-mining areas in Konin district of Wielkopolskie Voivodeship.
Phase I of the project will grid connect 193 MW solar panels with n-type technology, and up to 19.2 MW wind turbines. Energy generated by these technologies will be enough to supply power to approximately 100,000 households.
According to the PFR, in the next stages of expansion, the project can be enlarged to around 250 MW in the solar part and additional wind turbines and energy storage facilities. The project will start generating electricity in 2023.
"Kleczew Solar & Wind is one of the largest infrastructure investments in the region. It is largely built on reclaimed land, historically covered by lignite mining," said President of the Management Board of Lewandpol Holding, Andrzej Lewandowski who is a local entrepreneur and a popular racing driver. "This is a symbolic and important step towards decarbonizing the Polish economy and ensuring cheap and clean electricity."
Through PFR, the Polish government aims to support companies operating in the sustainable development field that offer long-term investment and economic potential. For the Kleczew project, PFR has shelled out loan through PFR FIZAN Investment Fund.
President of the Management Board of PFR Pawel Borys said, "Each investment in RES is an important step towards increasing the country's energy security and stabilizing the economy."
Kleczew project has already raised PLN 776 million ($178 million) through a bank consortium of ING, PKO BP and mBank.
Poland was one of the star solar markets for the European Union (EU) in 2022 having installed 4.9 GW last year (see European Union To Exit 2022 With Over 41 GW Solar Installed).
An October 2022 report by the Bloomberg New Energy Finance claimed 11 GW wind and solar power capacity can replace 80% of brown coal generation for Europe's largest coal-fired plant, the 5.1 GW Belchatow Lignite Coal Power Plant (see BloombergNEF Offers Transition Plan For Polish Coal Plant).