The results of the latest auctions conducted by the Urząd Regulacji Energetyki (URE), the Polish Energy Regulatory Authority, confirm the expansion of photovoltaics in the national market. Of the 181 successful bids in total, 178 were exclusively for solar projects, with a combined capacity of 1.67 GW, according to figures released by the URE.
Solar power drives Polish auctions
Within the segment dedicated to solar and wind installations above 1 MW, 95 photovoltaic projects representing 1,623 MW were selected, compared to only three wind projects totalling 82.7 MW. The awarded prices for solar in this session ranged from PLN 216.90 ($59.46)/MWh to PLN 329.68/MWh, with a reference price set at PLN 389/MWh. For wind, the minimum accepted price stood at PLN 100/MWh, while the ceiling reached PLN 320/MWh, with a reference price at PLN 324/MWh.
A second auction, targeting installations with a capacity less than or equal to 1 MW, saw 83 photovoltaic projects totalling 47.7 MW awarded. No wind project was selected in this category. The price for solar ranged from PLN 314.77/MWh to PLN 374.77/MWh, against a reference price of PLN 414/MWh.
Absence of bids in other sectors
Five other auctions, respectively covering hydroelectric plants, agricultural biogas installations, and biomass, could not be awarded due to an insufficient number of valid bids. In accordance with Polish law, an auction requires at least three valid offers to result in an award. This lack of commitment in alternative segments had already occurred in the previous edition.
Across all seven organised auctions, only 21% of the planned electricity volume, or 16 TWh, could be allocated, representing a total value of 30% of the available budget, or PLN 5.0 billion ($1.37bn).
National solar capacity continues to grow
According to the Instytut Energetyki Odnawialnej (IEO), installed solar capacity in Poland reached 21,994 MW at the end of the first quarter of 2025. This trend positions the photovoltaic sector as the main growth driver of Poland’s renewables sector, while demand for other technologies remains limited in the latest auctions. URE stated that the market structure and prevailing auction mechanisms will continue to shape investment allocation in the sector.
“The legal framework imposes a minimum threshold of bids for each session, which may explain the lack of awards in certain segments,” said URE, as quoted by pv magazine on July 14.
