Heaven and hell have rarely been as close together as when it comes to the topic of PV in Poland. Now, it seems, the energy policy has finally reached its goal: still this year, on 30th December 2016, the first biddings are set to start in Poland, which will be continued with a second round in 2017.

The Polish photovoltaics sector has been ready to take off for a few years already. And for a few years already, experts have forecast a blooming and stable future for the Polish solar market. However, also for a few years, Polish politics have held back the development of a PV market repetitiously. Until now.

Sunlight at the end of the tunnel

Now it finally seems to be time. Still this year, the first biddings for small PV plants with a size of less than one megawatt (MW) are to start. Firstly, an output of 100 MW will be tendered – next year, however, a further 300 MW of PV capacities are to follow. According to information of the pv-magazine, until the year 2020 PV plants with a total output of one gigawatt (1 GW) are to be tendered.

For the bidding starting in Poland on 30th December 2016, the energy ministry has decided on a maximum funding of 465 Polish Zloty (about 104 Euro) per megawatt hour (MWh). Fundings for biddings in 2017 are to be less, or so the Polish energy ministry states. The definite refund period shall be 15 years.

PV in Poland: the hardest part is getting started

For renewables, especially solar energy, the beginning could barely have been harder. No other European country depends as strongly on coal energy as Poland does. In 2015, 88% of the overall power production was based on coal. A mere 11% were based on renewable energies. Wind parks make up most of these, with a share of 4.000 MW – while PV only reaches a marginal 150 MW (as per June 2016).

After a long wait and many setbacks, the start for a growing PV market in Poland seems to have been made once and for all. Moreover, now the construction of further capacities is to start as soon as possible. A turning point that will be more than good for Europe’s energy revolution.

Source: pv-magazine

Title image: filip-fuxa/shutterstock