The solar park initiative (Park Słoneczny) in Kleszczów: Pioneering energy transition in Poland's largest coal region – Creative image: Xpert.Digital
Historic change in Poland: Renewable energy overtakes coal – and this project shows how
From CO2 giant to solar pioneer: This community is revolutionizing Poland's energy transition
Poland's energy landscape is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation. Renewable energies have now overtaken coal as the most important source of electricity, having for the first time accounted for 44.1 percent of the Polish electricity mix in June 2025, while coal fell back to 43.7 percent. Within this context of comprehensive transformation, a particularly symbolic project is emerging: the 50-megawatt solar park in the municipality of Kleszczów, the heart of Poland's lignite mining region.
A successful partnership between the public and private sectors
The planned solar park in Kleszczów represents not only a significant investment in renewable energy but also a groundbreaking model of public-private cooperation. The farm is being developed as a joint venture between PGE Energia Odnawialna, a subsidiary of the state-owned energy company PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, and the municipality of Kleszczów. Both partners hold 50 percent of the shares in the project company PGE Soleo1, which was specifically established for this purpose.
This equal partnership between a major energy company and a local community is exceptional and demonstrates new approaches to financing and implementing solar projects. While the energy company contributes its technical expertise and financial strength, the community provides the necessary land and directly benefits from the plant's revenue.
Technical dimensions and performance data
The photovoltaic plant is planned to be built on an area of 50 hectares and will have a nominal output of 50 megawatts. The projected annual electricity production is 53 gigawatt-hours, enough to supply approximately 25,000 Polish households with clean energy. These performance figures position the farm as one of the larger photovoltaic plants in Poland and as an important component of Poland's energy transition.
The plant will be equipped with state-of-the-art photovoltaic modules, whose technical parameters ensure high productivity even under the climatic conditions of central Poland. The choice of technology follows the latest industry standards and takes into account the requirements for long-term and reliable energy generation over the planned operating period of at least 20 years.
Strategic importance for regional transformation
The municipality of Kleszczów is in a unique situation: It is home to the Bełchatów power plant, the largest lignite-fired power plant in Europe and simultaneously the largest CO2 emitter in the European Union, with 30 million tons annually. The power plant produces around one-fifth of Poland's electricity needs and directly and indirectly employs tens of thousands of people in the region.
The solar farm is a key component of the program for a just transformation of the Bełchatów region, which PGE developed in response to the inevitable structural change. This program envisions the gradual development of wind energy projects and energy storage facilities alongside the photovoltaic plant in the region, with the long-term goal of replacing the large coal-fired power plant.
For the municipality of Kleszczów, previously considered the wealthiest municipality in Poland and primarily owing its high tax revenues to the power plant, the transformation represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The solar park will generate additional income through property taxes, lease payments, and profit sharing, helping to partially offset the anticipated decline in revenue from the coal-fired power plant.
Financing and marketing of solar energy
The financing and marketing of the plant follows a flexible approach. PGE and the municipality have agreed to market the energy either through the Polish renewable energy auction system or through long-term direct sales contracts, known as Power Purchase Agreements. This flexibility allows them to choose the most economically optimal marketing strategy depending on market conditions.
The Polish auction system has established itself as an effective instrument for promoting renewable energy and offers predictable revenues over long periods. Alternatively, PPAs can enable more direct customer relationships and potentially achieve better prices, but also require more active marketing management.
Integration into the national photovoltaic strategy
The project fits seamlessly into PGE's ambitious expansion plans for solar energy. The company plans to build a portfolio of over 3 gigawatts of photovoltaic capacity by 2030, thereby consolidating its position as a leading renewable energy producer in Poland. PGE Energia Odnawialna already commissioned 180.4 megawatts of new solar capacity in 2024 and intends to add another 140 megawatts in 2025.
The farm in Kleszczów is one of the flagship projects and demonstrates how PGE is breaking new ground, both technically and organizationally, in the development of solar projects. The cooperation with the municipality as an equal partner could serve as a model for further projects and strengthen local acceptance of energy infrastructure.
Poland as an emerging solar market
Poland has developed into one of the most dynamic photovoltaic markets in Europe in recent years. In 2020, solar power plants with a total capacity of 2.2 gigawatts were installed, double the previous year's figure and making Poland the fourth largest solar market in Europe after Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Growth is taking place at all levels: from small rooftop installations with an average capacity of 6.5 kilowatts, whose number increased from 155,000 at the end of 2019 to 350,000 at the end of 2020, to large ground-mounted installations such as the planned 303-megawatt solar park by the VSB Group in Lower Silesia. The Polish energy regulator has already granted preliminary grid connection permits for larger projects totaling 4.4 gigawatts.
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Solar parks instead of coal-fired power plants: Poland's smart answer to climate change
Challenges of the energy transition in a coal-mining country
Poland faces the enormous challenge of transforming its energy system, which is heavily dependent on coal. As recently as 2023, around 57 percent of its electricity came from coal, but this share is steadily declining. The government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk has set the ambitious goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 75 percent by 2030.
Experts such as the Council for Energy Security and Climate are even calling for a complete phase-out of coal-fired power generation by 2035, earlier than Germany's target date of 2038. This would mean that the Bełchatów power plant, which currently produces over 20 percent of Poland's electricity, would also have to be shut down within the next ten years.
The transformation is being accelerated by economic realities: the average age of Polish coal-fired power plants is 37 years, many plants are inefficient and break down frequently. At the same time, the cost of extracting hard coal has risen to 824 zlotys per ton, while the world market price is only around 110 euros.
Social aspects and jobs
The structural transformation directly affects approximately 75,000 miners in Poland, whose jobs are threatened by the energy transition. The Polish government is therefore planning subsidies of nine billion zlotys for coal mining in 2025 to avoid social tensions and allow time for the transition.
The solar park project in Kleszczów demonstrates how this transition can succeed: New technologies create new jobs, even if these often require different qualifications. PGE has already opened a skills development center that qualifies workers for the new demands of the energy sector.
Environmental and health aspects
The health effects of coal-fired power generation are particularly noticeable in the Bełchatów region. Medical professionals confirm that air pollution from the power plant reduces the life expectancy of people in the region and increases the number of heart attacks and strokes. The particulate matter spreads for many kilometers, affecting a large area.
The solar park will help reduce these burdens. Every kilowatt-hour of solar power potentially replaces coal-fired power, thus avoiding CO2 emissions and other pollutants. With a projected annual production of 53 gigawatt-hours, significant amounts of emissions can be saved.
Technological innovations and efficiency
Modern solar parks like the one planned in Kleszczów rely on the latest developments in photovoltaic technology. These include bifacial modules, which absorb light from both sides and thus achieve higher yields, as well as optimized inverter technology for maximum system efficiency.
The choice of location takes into account not only the availability of suitable land, but also local sunshine conditions, grid access, and soil composition. In Poland, the average solar irradiance is around 1000 to 1200 kilowatt hours per square meter per year, which certainly allows for economically viable solar power generation.
Network integration and system stability
Integrating large solar parks into the Polish electricity grid requires careful planning and appropriate grid infrastructure. Poland is therefore investing heavily in modernizing and expanding its transmission networks to manage the fluctuating feed-in of renewable energies.
The Kleszczów site offers the advantage of an existing high-performance grid connection via the Bełchatów power plant. This infrastructure can be partially used for feeding in solar power, which saves costs and facilitates integration.
International classification and comparison
With a capacity of 50 megawatts, the planned solar park is among the larger installations in Poland, but still significantly smaller than the world's largest solar parks, which have capacities of 2,000 to 2,200 megawatts. In Germany, its size is roughly equivalent to medium to large ground-mounted solar parks, such as those subsidized under the Renewable Energy Sources Act.
In a European comparison, the project demonstrates how even traditional coal-mining countries can successfully transition to renewable energies. Similar transformation projects exist in the German Lusatia region, where large solar parks are being built on former open-cast lignite mining sites.
Timeline and implementation
Original plans called for commissioning by the end of 2022. According to current information, completion is now expected in 2026, which is in line with typical development times for solar projects of this size. The delay may be due to the complexity of the joint venture model, permitting processes, or supply chain difficulties.
Construction is expected to begin in 2025, once all necessary permits have been obtained and financing is secured. The construction time for a 50-megawatt solar park typically ranges from six to twelve months, depending on soil conditions and weather.
Economic impact on the region
The solar park will not only create jobs during the construction phase, but will also provide long-term economic impetus for the region. Local suppliers and service providers will benefit from the contracts, and the community will receive ongoing additional revenue.
PGE has pledged to give preference to local companies when awarding contracts, wherever possible. This aligns with the group's strategy of strengthening regional value creation and increasing acceptance of energy projects through "local content".
Solar parks as a model for the future: Poland's strategic energy transition
The solar park in Kleszczów is just the beginning of a comprehensive transformation of the region. PGE plans further renewable energy projects, including wind farms and energy storage facilities, to build a complete portfolio. By 2035, the entire group aims to be carbon neutral and invest 235 billion zlotys in the transformation of the energy system.
The joint venture model could serve as a model and be implemented in other regions of Poland. The equal partnership between energy companies and municipalities can increase local acceptance of energy projects and ensure fair participation in the profits.
The project's success will be measured not only by its technical implementation and economic performance, but also by how well it succeeds in involving the affected people and communities in the transformation process and creating new perspectives for the post-coal era. In this sense, the Kleszczów solar park is more than just another photovoltaic plant – it is a symbol of Poland's transition to a sustainable energy future.
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