Poland - Polish wind energy companies generally only serving as wind turbine developers or co-investors

Poland is seeing the construction of wind farm plants with a capacity over 500 megawatts - the highest in its history. The total cost of these investments is estimated at PLN 3 billion, according to the Polish Wind Energy Association. The main role on the Polish wind power market is currently played by foreign companies.

The leader, Portuguese EDP Renovaveis, has launched a wind farm with the capacity of 120 MW in Margonin (Wielkopolska Province) and this year opened another one in Korsze (Warmiñsko-Mazurskie Province) with the capacity of 70 MW.

"Polish companies want to be present on that market, but they are only gaining experience and generally serve as the wind turbines developer or co-investor" says Catherine Micha³owska-Knap, an expert at the Institute of Renewable Energy.

For the construction of large wind power plants capital and financial guarantees are needed, but they are generally available to experienced investors. The investment process itself (after obtaining permits) is short and it is possible to complete the construction within a year, "Parkiet" notes.

Among the major wind turbines projects there are few run by Polish energy companies. That is expected to change next year, when Tauron opens a wind farm with the capacity of 40 MW in Wicko (Pomeranian Province). Energy companies invest in wind farms to avoid carbon dioxide emissions.

They use EU subsidies to build the wind power farms, and then, owing to certificates, they earn two times more on the production of green electricity than on "black energy", the newspaper writes. According to the European Wind Energy Association, Poland is now one of the most promising markets for wind farm construction.

In the currently leading countries (Germany, Denmark, Spain), the annual growth of capacity is falling. New wind power markets, such as Poland, are noting an upward trend. Last year Poland gained 460 MW of new wind turbines capacity, which means an increase of 65%.

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