Various renewable energy news websites have reported that PGE Energia Odnawialna (PGE EO) has been granted the permit to construct a 100MW solar park in Gmina Grębów, an administrative district in Subcarpathian Voivodeship.

The solar park will be divided into two 50MW sub-projects or arrays: PV Jeziórko 1 and 2. As of now, the solar park is the largest utility-scale PV project under development in Poland. PGE EO aims to put the solar park into operation by the end of 2023.

PGE EO has so far obtained permits to develop 200MW of PV generation capacity, including the solar park in Gmina Grębów. In addition to this, the company has also recently received the greenlight to set up two more PV projects totaling 13MW in Masovian Voivodeship.

Commenting on these projects, Marcin Karlikowski, president of PGE EO, said that the process for approving a PV project in Poland is very complex and can take many months because it involves an environmental impact review and other kinds of paperwork. However, Karlikowski expects the process to be quicker and more streamlined in the future so that the Polish government can launch tenders that are 300-400MW in scale annually.

PGE OE is the renewable energy subsidiary of Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE), which is the country’s largest utility with a share of 36% in the domestic energy market. Poland’s Ministry of State Treasury is the majority stakeholder of the company. Regarding renewable generation assets, PGE currently possesses around 2GW of PV power plants, hydroelectric power plants, and wind farms. Nevertheless, it is continues to be one of Europe’s leading coal-fired power producers.

To support the Polish government’s efforts to achieve climate neutrality in 2050, PGE announced in October 2020 that it will invest EUR 16.4 billion by 2030 to install 6.5GW of renewable generation capacity. Of that amount, solar PV, offshore wind power, and onshore wind power will account for 3GW, 2.5GW, and 1GW respectively.

Going forward, PGE under the leadership of the Polish government will be initiating renewable energy project tenders and awarding long-term PPAs. Regarding the deployment of PV generation capacity, the Polish government wants to set up projects in mining sites and lands that are formerly zoned for industrial purposes. For instance, one of the two 50MW arrays in Gmina Grębów will be built on reclaimed land that previously accommodated a chemical factory complex.