Long-term green PPAs between a customer and a vendor are a method to develop wind energy without future subsidies. PPAs and Corporate PPAs were discussed during press conferences recently organised by PWEA.
Both events, held on 19 December 2018 and 17 January 2019, received broad attention in national media. We would like to thank Hubert Kowalski, President of VSB Energie Odnawialne (a PWEA Member) for his presence, the knowledge and experience shared with us as well as invaluable aid in organisation of both media events. VSB Energie Odnawialne signed the first PPA in Poland with Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Poland in Jaworze, a vehicle engine manufacturer.
In the future, long-term PPAs may become common in Poland, securing investments in renewable energy sources for financial institutions. In Western Europe such contracts are becoming increasingly popular, as demonstrated during the second conference by Aleksandra Mirowicz, a representative of the RE100 campaign (an association of companies that committed to switch their businesses to 100 percent RES power) within The Climate Group.
We hosted representatives of the industry, including the energy-intensive International Paper Kwidzyn, which is considering the purchase of electricity under a PPA in the future, as well as IKEA Group, the owner of six wind farms in Poland with a total capacity of 180 MW, which is considering PV development.
Janusz Gajowiecki, PWEA President, stressed the natural synergies between RES and industry seeking clean and inexpensive energy.
“Industry was the first to suffer from the rapid increase in wholesale electricity prices caused by the rises on the coal and CO2 emission allowance markets. Therefore, it seeks alternatives. Some companies want to independently build wind and solar farms, whereas want to other purchase green electricity in long-term contracts. In both cases they may rely that wind energy will permanently rather than on an ad-hoc basis decrease their electricity bills,” PWEA President explained.
RES development under long-term corporate agreements also reached the politicians. This is proven by the address of representatives of the IKEA Group during the meeting of the Parliamentary Energy Group, chaired by Grzegorz Matusiak, said to be the successor of Deputy Minister for Energy, Grzegorz Tobiszowski, who is running for the European Parliament. Matusiak invited PWEA to participate in the next meeting of the Group. We will provide expert advice on PPAs and legal barriers for their development in Poland. The date of the next meeting has not been set to date.