In 2021, the global levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for photovoltaics and onshore wind energy decreased significantly, according to a report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The LCOE of new large-scale solar PV projects fell by 13% year-on-year to $ 0.048 / kWh. For a concentrated solar power (CSP) solar power plant, the cost increased by 7% year-on-year to $ 0.114 / kWh – but only one such project was launched in 2021.

For new onshore wind projects, LCOE fell by 15% yoy to $ 0.033 / kWh, while the cost of new offshore wind projects fell by 13% to $ 0.075 / kWh.

As IRENA emphasizes, in 2010-2021 there has been a huge improvement in the competitiveness of renewable energy sources. This is best seen in solar energy: the global levelized  cost of electricity for newly commissioned large-scale PV projects fell by 88% during this period, while the onshore wind LCOE fell by 68%, CSP by 68% and offshore wind by 60%.

According to the Agency, cheaper renewable energy technologies with the simultaneous growing prices of fossil fuels allowed to save about USD 55 billion in global costs of energy generation in 2022 in 2021. In the period from January to May 2022, the production of solar and wind energy helped to save Europe fossil fuel imports for around US $ 50 billion.

The report is available HERE

The current energy crisis and rising energy prices are largely caused by lack of sufficient amounts of RES capacity in the national power system. Therefore, we need measures to facilitate new investments and reduce administrative barriers. Unfortunately, the changes proposed in the amendment to the act on spatial planning and development may seriously slow down the development of solar energy in Poland for many years.

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has put European countries in a difficult situation of sudden need to accelerate the energy transformation. That is why the EU is working on a system of administrative facilitations that will allow faster fulfillment of national RES targets. In a situation where our energy system relies to such a large extent on Russian resources – we cannot afford to slow down the development of the solar energy sector in Poland.

Meanwhile, the Polish government seems to be going in the opposite direction to the rest of Europe and, instead of investment facilitation, we are getting new restrictions. The solar energy industry is particularly concerned about the plans of the Ministry of Development and Technology. The draft act on spatial planning and development provides for the obligation to locate RES installations based on the MPZP (local spatial development plan), in the case of solar installations with an installed capacity of more than 1 MW (Article 14 (6a)). In the opinion of the Polish Photovoltaic Association, it is necessary to locate PV farms on the basis of the current regulations – on the basis of the decision on development conditions – until the communes adopt Local Spatial Development Plans. Otherwise, we will have effects comparable to the so-called the 10H act for wind energy, i.e. a long-term investment gap. The case of the so-called the distance act is the best proof that the regulations blocking the development of clean and domestic energy sources do not work in the long run. However, the fact that the 10H rule is currently to be liberalized will not eliminate the many years of lagging behind in wind energy in Poland. We do not want the potential of solar energy to be wasted in the same way. The development of solar energy – sustainable but not hindered by legal regulations – is in the best interest of Poland.

The draft regulation published by the Ministry of Climate and Environment specifies the amounts and values of electricity from renewable energy sources that can be contracted under the auction RES support scheme in the consecutive calendar years 2022-2027.

According to the project, the PV installations to be built will reach the following capacity:

– with a total installed capacity of more than 1 MW – 4500 MW (750 MW per year),

– with a total installed capacity of less than 1 MW – 4500 MW (750 MW per year).

As the Ministry informs, the maximum amounts and values of energy that can be contracted will not be allowed to be reduced, but may be increased in updates.

So far, regulations on the quantity and value of electricity from renewable energy sources have been published annually. The draft regulation covering the next five years will be significant market information as to the further development direction of large-scale renewable energy in Poland.

Łukasiewicz – IMBiGS inaugurated the activity of the Industry Contact Point “Low-emission Technologies and Clean Energy”. Its task will be to support entrepreneurs and scientists in the EU’s Horizon Europe program.

Research institutes, universities, public entities, large enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups, associations, foundations and international organizations can benefit from the support of the Industry Contact Point “Low-emission Technologies and Clean Energy”.

Horizon Europe is the largest research and innovation program in the history of the European Union. In 7 years (2021-2027) a total of EUR 95.5 billion will be allocated to cutting-edge research and innovative solutions. In order to efficiently use the funds from this program, the Ministry of Education and Science has established branch contact points whose task is to support beneficiaries in the Horizon Europe program.

Projects are usually carried out in international cooperation in consortia composed of at least 3 partners from 3 different EU Member States and / or associated countries (at least 1 entity from an EU Member State). The task of the Industry Contact Point is to help in contact with other companies / institutions and the formation of a consortium as well as support in the preparation of an application for obtaining grants.

Contact: bpkenergia@imbigs.lukasiewicz.gov.pl

The inauguration of Industry Contact Poin “Low-emission Technologies and Clean Energy” was held on June 21 this year, at Four Points Sheraton in Warsaw.

On June 3, at the headquarters of Saule Technologies in Wrocław, a meeting of representatives of renewable energy organizations and industry took place with the Vice-President of the European Commission – Frans Timmermans. The participants included representatives of the Polish Development Fund, PWEA, the National Chamber of Energy Clusters, Forum Energii, and Polish Steel Association. The Polish Photovoltaics Association was represented by Director Irena Gajewska.

The meeting was held in the form of a round table and was used to familiarize Vice-President Timmermans with the current challenges that Poland is facing in the context of implementing the assumptions of the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 Package.

One of the topics that Frans Timmermans was interested in was the issue of social acceptance among Poles for further energy transformation. The Polish Photovoltaics Association shared with the European Commission the results of the latest opinion polls of Poles on renewable energy sources, which in May this year was commissioned by PSF by the Indicator research laboratory.

We will publish this analysis of the public opinion poll soon.

Polisch Photovoltaics Association

The high temperatures recorded in Poland last weekend contributed to the increase in energy production from renewable sources. On Sunday, 67% of the energy demand in the country was covered by “green” installations.

Photovoltaics played a special role in this record. On Sunday, the peak generation of solar panels was almost 6.2 GW (for 10 GW of installed capacity), and for wind farms 4.6 GW (for over 7 GW of installed capacity). According to WysokieNapiecie.pl, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., the total generation of RES in Poland covered 67% of domestic recipients’ needs (including own consumption of conventional power plants), after deducting the demand of pumped storage hydropower plants, which served as a storage for excess capacity.

The 3rd CongressPV in Warsaw, organized by the Polish Photovoltaics Association, is behind us. The event gathered 550 participants. The event was attended by representatives of public administration, the banking sector, energy market experts, investors, developers, technology providers, service providers, representatives of local governments, business organisations and industry associations. This year’s edition wase dedicated, among others, to the RePower EU, RES Simplify programmes, Agri-PV and hydrogen.

The patronage over the 3rd CongressPV was taken by the Energy Regulatory Office and SolarPower Europe.

Among the Partners of the Congress were the largest players in this sector: Onde, Huawei, Baywa r.e., Corab, DWF, Energy5, European Energy, Forte, Goodwe, PGE EO, PGNiG, Photon Energy, PVO International, PWC, PZU, RWE, Trina Solar, Sungrow, ZPUE, Alpiq, Budmat, Elmark, Energa Obrót, ID Energy Group, IMEFY Polska, BP, Nebo Solar, Nomad Electric, Scada, Sunhunter, TPA, UL.

The partners of B2B meetings were Instytut Łukasiewicza IMBiGS and Enterprise Europe Network.

The media partners were: WysokieNapiecie.pl, Ecoekonomia, E-magazyny.pl, Teraz Środowisko, Gramwzielone.pl, Enerad.pl, HalePrzemyslowe.plus, Energetyka.plus.

During the evening banquet, the Polish Photovoltaics Association awarded distinctions to people whose work and commitment are particularly important for the PV industry. The awards were received by: Ireneusz Zyska for coordinating the first in Europe sector agreement for photovoltaics; Marcin Ścigan for openness to the voice of the PV industry and always constructive dialogue; Walburga Hemetsberger and SolarPower Europe for promoting the role of solar energy in the European energy transformation; Marcin Roszkowski and the Jagiellonian Institute for an independent and insightful look at renewable energy; Matthias Emminghaus for the cPPA project for the Witnica farm, setting a new direction for photovoltaics in Poland; CMC Poland for the implementation of ambitious environmental goals and responsible approach to business; PGE Obrót for the successful implementation of the cPPA agreement, being an ecological and economic response to the needs of energy-intensive companies.

Thank you for your participation and we invite you next year – May 30-31, 2023!

This strategy, which will take the form of a Commission communication, aims to ensure that solar energy achieves its full potential in helping to meet the European Green Deal’s climate & energy targets.

It will enable people across the EU to reap the benefits of an integrated energy system by: identifying barriers to solar energy use, proposing measures to accelerate its roll-out, making EU solar energy systems more competitive & resilient.

Consultation of the EU strategy for solar energy will be conducted for 12 weeks until April 12, 2022. Comments can be submitted here

The Polish Photovoltaics Association invites you to the first edition of the O&M Conference. A special discount for PSF Members.

PV farm operation and management is the area generating the highest number of jobs in the photovoltaics industry and driving the innovation in the sector, especially in digitization and data processing. High-quality O&M services are key to reducing potential project risks, reducing costs and ensuring reliability of installations.

The O&M Conference – Operation and Management of PV Farms – will include two days of substantive presentations from experts, exhibition space, banquet and additional attractions.

Register

The Energy Regulatory Office announced the results of the December RES auctions. It was the second round of the auction this year. The vast majority of offers concerned photovoltaics.

In total, 18.5 TWh of electricity from renewable sources has been allocated for sale, with a total value of over PLN 8.6 billion. As a result of their settlement, a total of nearly 14 TWh of electricity was contracted with a value of slightly over PLN 3.2 billion. Out of 375 winning bids, only 14 were for non-photovoltaic installations.

The reference price in the so-called small basket was 340 PLN / MWh. The minimum price at which the energy was sold was PLN 219 / MWh. The maximum price at which the energy was sold was PLN 278.9 / MWh.

In the large basket, the reference price was PLN 320 / MWh for solar farms and PLN 250 / MWh for wind farms. The minimum price at which energy was sold was PLN 139.64 / MWh for onshore wind farms and PLN 207.85 / MWh for solar farms, respectively. The maximum price in this basket was PLN 261.07 / MWh.

Congratulations to the auction winners!