‘1st’ Subsidy Free Solar Park In Poland Seals PPA
- BayWa has signed a VPPA with Górazdze Cement S.A. in Poland for 64.6 MW Witnica Solar Park
- The PPA duration is 10 years and will kick into effect once the project comes online in H1/2021
- It is expected to generate 68 GWh annually using JinkoSolar modules and Huawei string inverters
German renewable energy developer BayWa r.e. says it has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with the Polish subsidiary of Germany's HeidelbergCement for its 64.6 MW solar project in Poland. The company claims this agreement with Górazdze Cement S.A. makes the project the 1st subsidy-free PPA backed large scale solar park in the country. The project entered construction in July 2020 (see 64.6 MW Subsidy-Free Solar Park Coming Up In Poland).
On completion, the 64.6 MW Witnica Solar Park will be the country's largest, it adds. It will help the cement producer in inching closer to its aim of reaching carbon neutrality.
For Polish market, the PPA marks 'a new era of clean and sustainable corporate energy sourcing' for Poland and can serve as a 'blueprint for more PPA structures in the region and beyond', according to BayWa.
The project coming up between Poznań and Berlin is due for completion in H1/2021 and is expected to generate 68 GWh annually with the help of mono PERC half cell modules from JinkoSolar with 405W to 400W output. It will deploy 500 Huawei string inverters.
"Here is the ultimate proof that photovoltaic power can – without any subsidies – be competitive to conventional energies, even in a European country further north, which still generates 80% of its electricity from coal," said BayWa's Global Director of Solar Projects, Dr. Benedikt Ortmann.
In Poland, BayWa aims to construct a solar and wind energy portfolio with a total installed capacity of over 1 GW. "Securing the PPA with HeidelbergCement is part of BayWa r.e.'s wider strategy in Poland as the country rapidly brings more renewables online," added BayWa.
Earlier this month, Respect Energy and Goldbeck Solar said they will build 'largest' solar PV power plant in Central and Eastern Europe with 203 MW capacity in Poland (see 203 MW Solar Power Project Coming Up In Poland).