Solar Dominates Polish Renewable Energy Auction

• URE has released the list of winners for its renewables auction for up to 1 MW project capacity
• Under this category, solar PV won all of around 1 GW awarded for a minimum tariff of PLN 207 per MWh
• For projects over 1 MW size, solar PV won 1.2 GW capacity while wind secured 300 MW

Poland's Energy Regulatory Office (URE) has revealed the results of 2 of its renewable energy auctions for large scale wind and solar energy projects of over 1 MW capacity, and for smaller systems with up to 1 MW capacity. Solar dominated both the auctions.

Held as AZ/8/2021, the renewables auction for up to 1 MW projects attracted 1,264 bids in total from 432 bidders, all of which belonged to solar PV installations. Even though the ERO had set aside PLN 5.3 billion to procure 14.7 TWh of energy under this round, it finally contracted 11.9 TWh in the form of 1,016 projects submitted by 335 bidders. Winning projects add up to around 1 GW capacity in this round that will get more than PLN 2.7 billion state subsidies to build.

The minimum tariff offered in this round was PLN 207 ($54.45) per MWh and the maximum ranged up to PLN 253.37 ($66.65) per MWh, while the reference price or ceiling tariff was PLN 340 ($89.44) per MWh. The complete list of winners of AZ/8/2021 can be found on URE's website.

The other auction for larger scale solar and wind energy projects of over 1 MW capacity dubbed as AZ/7/2021 secured 111 bids. It finally selected 1.2 GW of solar PV and 300 MW of wind energy capacity to procure 24.7 TWh. For this round, the ceiling tariff for solar farms was PLN 320 ($84.18) per MWh and the URE was offered the lowest winning tariff level at PLN 209 ($55.00) per MWh.

For wind energy projects, the ceiling tariff was PLN 250 ($65.76) per MWh, while the lowest price was determined as PLN 179 ($47.1) per MWh for onshore wind farms.

Local Polish renewables company R.Power Renewables said it has won 299 MW solar farm capacity in this auction, increasing its independent power producer (IPP) solar portfolio to 471 MW. It aims to realize winning projects under Poland's contracts for difference (CfD) scheme, from the latest auction by 2023.

Back in December 2020, URE awarded 800 MW of PV and 900 MW of new wind farms for projects with 1 MW or above capacity (see Poland Selects 1.7 GW Wind & PV In Auction).

Currently, Poland is one of the most promising solar markets of Europe as having a policy framework in place that allows the industry to ensure the government will make efforts to reach close to 10 GW to 16 GW PV capacity by 2040, as part of its EPP2040 (see Poland Approves Energy Policy Until 2040).

However, a recent commentary by Fitch Solutions sees the country installing 16.9 GW solar PV capacity by 2030, growing from 3.9 GW deployed till the end of 2020 (see Fitch Solutions Expects 16.9 GW Solar For Poland By 2030).