Park Słoneczny | Large-scale solar park project Borek in Deszczno with 24 megawatts and 40,000 photovoltaic modules for 10,500 households

### Historic turning point: How a German company is ending Poland's coal era ### More than just electricity: How RWE's new solar park in Poland is promoting biodiversity ### Poland's solar boom has a downside: RWE's new major project is putting the grid to the test ###

From coal champion to solar hotspot: Why RWE is now investing heavily in Poland

Poland, long known as the heart of the European coal industry, is undergoing an energy revolution of historic proportions. In an unprecedented turning point, electricity generation from renewable energy surpassed that from coal for the first time – a clear signal of the country's unstoppable transformation. In the midst of this transformation, the German energy company RWE is setting a decisive milestone with the Borek solar park project, underscoring its strategic role in the decarbonization of Central Europe.

A solar power plant is being built on a large site in the western Polish municipality of Deszczno, symbolizing the future of Poland's energy supply. With a planned capacity of 24 megawatts (MWac), realized through approximately 40,000 photovoltaic modules, the project will theoretically supply up to 10,500 Polish households with clean electricity upon its completion at the end of 2025.

However, the Borek project is more than just another solar farm; it is a central component of RWE's comprehensive "Growing Green" strategy and tangible evidence of the successful German-Polish energy partnership. While demonstrating the technical possibilities and economic viability of large-scale installations in Poland's growing solar market, it also sheds light on upcoming challenges such as grid stability and land management. From regional value creation to innovative pilot projects promoting biodiversity and strategic expansion into offshore wind power, the project demonstrates how the energy transition in Poland is being designed holistically.

The RWE Borek project: A milestone in the Polish energy transition

The RWE Borek project represents a significant step in Poland's energy transformation and exemplifies how international energy companies are contributing to the decarbonization of Central Europe. With this solar park in the municipality of Deszczno, the German energy group RWE has created a strategically important building block for the energy transition in Poland.

Poland is currently experiencing a historic turning point in its energy supply. For the first time in June 2025, more electricity came from renewable sources than from coal, with green energy reaching a share of 44.1 percent, narrowly overtaking coal-fired electricity at 43.7 percent. This development marks a fundamental shift for the traditionally heavily coal-dependent country, which was previously considered one of Europe's largest coal producers and consumers.

The Borek project fits into this national energy strategy and demonstrates how large-scale solar parks can contribute to achieving Poland's climate goals. With its planned capacity of 24 MWac, it embodies both the technical capabilities of modern photovoltaic systems and the economic attractiveness of renewable energy in Poland.

Project description and technical specifications

The Borek solar park project consists of three separate photovoltaic systems with a total capacity of 24 megawatts alternating current (MWac). It is divided into two larger units of 10 MWac each and a smaller system with 4 MWac. This modular structure allows for flexible development of the site and optimal adaptation to local conditions.

Approximately 40,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic modules will be installed for the project. This significant number of solar modules underscores the scale of the project and its importance for the regional energy supply. The modules will be erected on the site of the municipality of Deszczno in the Lubusz Voivodeship in central-western Poland.

The plant's annual electricity production will be sufficient to supply up to 10,500 Polish households with clean energy. This supply capacity represents a significant contribution to local and regional energy security while reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Schedule and project progress

Construction on the Borek project began in October 2024 after RWE received all necessary permits. The schedule calls for full completion and commissioning in the second half of 2025. This relatively short construction period underscores the efficiency of modern solar farm construction and RWE's experience in implementing such large-scale projects.

The project development took place in several phases, beginning with the site analysis and approval process and ending with the current construction phase. RWE was able to draw on its extensive experience in the Polish renewable energy market, where the company has been active for over 15 years.

The timely implementation of the project is of strategic importance, as Poland aims to achieve its ambitious renewable energy expansion targets. The share of renewable energy in the electricity mix is ​​to increase to at least 53 to 56 percent by 2030.

Location and regional importance

The Borek solar park is being built in the municipality of Deszczno, located in the Lubusz Voivodeship in central-western Poland. This region offers favorable conditions for photovoltaic projects due to its sufficient solar radiation and suitable land availability. The proximity to existing grid infrastructure also facilitates the integration of the generated energy into the Polish power grid.

The project's regional significance goes beyond pure energy generation. The solar park will create jobs in the region during the construction phase and contribute to local value creation. Furthermore, it will strengthen the Lubusz Voivodeship's position as a location for renewable energy and can attract further investment in this sector.

The municipality of Deszczno benefits from business tax revenues and lease income from the used land. These additional revenue sources can be used for local infrastructure projects and community development, thus fostering social acceptance of the project.

RWE's strategy and portfolio in Poland

RWE is pursuing a comprehensive growth strategy in the Polish renewable energy market. The company already operates wind farms with a total installed capacity of 541 MW and has solar parks with a capacity of 91 MWac. This existing infrastructure provides a solid foundation for further expansion.

The Borek project is part of a larger pipeline of solar projects. RWE is currently building photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of more than 100 MWac throughout Poland. This ambitious expansion strategy underscores the company's confidence in the Polish market and its long-term commitment to the country's energy transition.

RWE's success in recent renewable energy auctions in Poland is particularly noteworthy. At the beginning of 2025, the company was awarded contracts for 31 additional solar projects with a total capacity of 84 MWac. These projects have already received all necessary permits and are scheduled to begin construction in early 2025.

Technological aspects and innovation

The Borek project utilizes modern photovoltaic technology with ground-mounted installation. This design is particularly suitable for large-scale solar parks and enables cost-effective implementation with high energy yield. The modules are optimally aligned with the sun, thus achieving maximum yields.

RWE places particular emphasis on sustainability and environmental compatibility in its Polish solar projects. The company is collaborating with the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań to conduct a biomonitoring pilot project. This project is investigating how to create favorable conditions for biodiversity on solar farm sites. Environmentally friendly measures have been implemented at ten selected photovoltaic plants in Poland to create a beneficial habitat for insects.

The integration of intelligent management systems enables optimal plant operation and maintenance. Modern monitoring technologies ensure maximum availability and efficiency of power production.

Economic aspects and financing

The economic attractiveness of solar projects in Poland has improved significantly in recent years. Falling technology costs and favorable financing conditions are making photovoltaic investments increasingly profitable. At the same time, prices for conventional energy are rising, further strengthening the competitiveness of renewable energies.

RWE benefits from long-term power purchase agreements that ensure planning security and stable revenues. The company has concluded a comprehensive Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Axpo Polonia, which covers the marketing of electricity generated from all RWE plants in Poland, with a total capacity of 628 MW. This agreement secures annual electricity production of approximately 1,500 GWh.

The investments in the Borek project and other Polish solar projects are part of RWE's global growth program "Growing Green." Between 2024 and 2030, RWE plans to invest €55 billion worldwide in offshore and onshore wind energy, solar energy, batteries, flexible power generation, and hydrogen projects.

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At the heart of this technological advancement is the deliberate departure from conventional clamp fastening, which has been the standard for decades. The new, more time- and cost-effective mounting system addresses this with a fundamentally different, more intelligent concept. Instead of clamping the modules at specific points, they are inserted into a continuous, specially shaped support rail and held securely. This design ensures that all forces occurring—be they static loads from snow or dynamic loads from wind—are evenly distributed across the entire length of the module frame.

More about it here:

• Clicking instead of screwing: This ingenious system builds solar parks 40% faster and revolutionizes the energy transition

Poland as a solar energy market

The Polish photovoltaic market is developing extremely dynamically and has become one of the most important growth markets in Europe. Poland added 637 MW of new photovoltaic capacity in the first quarter of 2025, bringing total installations to nearly 22 GW. By the end of 2024, the country had already exceeded the 21 GW mark.

Particularly noteworthy is the shift toward large-scale solar parks. The share of installations above 1 MW rose from 11 percent at the end of 2024 to 20 percent in the first quarter of 2025. This trend demonstrates that investment in utility-scale projects is increasing and the market is becoming more sophisticated.

The Polish government supports the expansion of renewable energy through various funding programs. Programs such as "My Electricity" and "Clean Air" promote investments in renewable energy sources. In addition, a thermal modernization subsidy for energy storage systems and micro-wind power plants has been introduced.

Integration into the Polish energy transition

The Borek project contributes significantly to Poland's transformation from a coal-dominated to a diversified energy system. Traditionally, Poland produces over 70 percent of its electricity from lignite and hard coal. The Bełchatów power plant alone accounts for 20 percent of national electricity production and is considered the second-largest coal-fired power plant in the world.

The Polish government has set ambitious goals for the energy transition. By 2040, the share of coal in electricity generation is to be reduced to just eight percent, while half of electricity production is to come from renewable energies. These goals require massive investments in solar and wind energy, as well as a gradual phase-out of coal-fired power.

However, the rapid expansion of solar energy is also creating new challenges for the power grid. By mid-June 2025, the Polish grid operator PSE had to reduce photovoltaic output by around 600 GWh – an increase of almost 34 percent compared to the previous year. These curtailments demonstrate that Poland must accelerate grid expansion and the integration of storage technologies.

Offshore wind and hybrid energy projects

RWE is not only active in the solar sector in Poland, but is also developing the first Polish offshore wind project, FEW Baltic II. This 350 MW wind farm will be built about 50 kilometers off the coast in the Polish Baltic Sea and, upon completion, will be able to supply around 350,000 households with green electricity.

The offshore project has already received key permits, including the environmental permit and a Contract for Difference (CfD) from the Polish government. RWE has selected Siemens Gamesa as the preferred supplier for 25 SG 14-236 DD wind turbines. Initial construction could begin in 2024, with commissioning planned by the end of the decade.

RWE has selected the Port of Ustka as the maintenance base for the offshore wind farm, which will contribute to the creation of up to 50 new jobs. This local value creation will strengthen acceptance of the project and promote the development of a Polish offshore wind supply chain.

International cooperation and German-Polish energy partnership

The Borek project is an example of successful German-Polish cooperation in the energy sector. The German-Polish Energy Platform, operated by the German Energy Agency (dena) and the Polish National Energy Agency (KAPE), promotes bilateral exchange and cooperation on the energy transition.

Both countries face similar challenges in decarbonizing their energy systems and benefit from the mutual exchange of technical expertise, regulatory experience, and financing models. At the political level, the German-Polish Energy Platform was jointly established, organizing specialist events, workshops, and study tours to promote dialogue between regulatory authorities, grid operators, energy suppliers, and research institutions. This regular exchange allows development obstacles to be identified and addressed more quickly, thus accelerating the expansion of renewable energies on both sides of the border.

Solar energy in Poland: Smart grids as the key to the energy transition

Grid stability and integration

The rapid growth of solar and wind energy in Poland is increasingly leading to periods of high generation surpluses, which are placing strain on the transmission grid. Grid operators have already had to curtail several hundred gigawatt hours of photovoltaic power to maintain stable voltage and frequency. A widespread expansion of intelligent transformers and load management systems is therefore essential. Furthermore, volatile feed-in patterns require new balancing energy markets and flexible power plant capacities that can step in at short notice.

Land availability and environmental compatibility

Large-scale solar projects like Borek require time-consuming permits for agricultural or green spaces. To minimize conflicts with agriculture and nature conservation, agri-photovoltaic concepts are increasingly being used: Wildflower meadows thrive beneath and between the solar modules, providing habitats that promote biodiversity and opening up new locations for beekeepers. RWE is testing pilot projects on selected sites using special module designs that allow sufficient light to penetrate for vegetation to develop.

Financing and profitability

The attractiveness of solar investments depends heavily on interest rate policy, exchange rate risks, and regulatory frameworks. While fixed feed-in tariffs and long-term electricity supply contracts provide planning security, markets for storage capacities and flexibility services must be developed in parallel. Innovative financing models such as green bonds and public-private partnerships can further contribute to risk sharing and attract new investors.

Future development and perspectives

Sector coupling and hydrogen

The integration of the electricity sector with heating and mobility applications opens up new sales opportunities for solar power. Excess energy can be converted into green hydrogen in Power-to-X plants, which serves as a storage medium and can be used in industrial processes in the long term. RWE plans to build demonstration plants in Poland that combine PV power with electrolysis. This will create hydrogen production chains in eastern Poland, where large open spaces and industrial consumers are available.

Decentralized energy systems and prosumer models

In addition to large-scale projects like Borek, decentralized photovoltaic and storage systems in residential areas are gaining importance. Prosumers—combined consumers and producers—can optimize their own consumption and feed surpluses into virtual power plants. Digital platforms allow thousands of decentralized systems to be combined into a network that provides short-term balancing energy and thus reduces grid expansion costs. RWE is developing corresponding marketplaces for peer-to-peer trading of surplus electricity.

Expansion of offshore capacities

Parallel to onshore expansion, the potential of offshore wind power in the southern Baltic Sea is growing. Following FEW Baltic II, RWE is planning further wind farms off the Polish coast using floating foundations. This technology opens up new water depths where conventional foundations are not possible. The expansion of offshore infrastructure also strengthens local technological expertise and creates skilled jobs in port cities such as Ustka and Gdynia.

Socioeconomic impacts

The Borek project and similar large-scale projects are having far-reaching effects in rural regions. Hundreds of jobs will be created during the construction phase in assembly, logistics, and maintenance. After commissioning, local tradespeople will be involved in maintenance work and environmental monitoring. The rental income for farmers from the use of their land will enable diversified income sources, which are urgently needed, especially in structurally weak areas. This allows communities to invest in schools, roads, and municipal services.

German-Polish energy cooperation: The turning point of opportunities

RWE's Borek project represents a groundbreaking milestone in Poland's energy transition. With 24 MWac of installed capacity and the ability to supply over 10,500 households annually with carbon-free electricity, the solar park demonstrates how renewable energy can be implemented economically and technically. Its modular construction, modern monitoring and management systems, and environmental pilot projects demonstrate RWE's comprehensive approach to efficiency, sustainability, and biodiversity conservation.

In conjunction with the expansion of offshore wind power and the development of decentralized energy systems, the Borek project is paving the way for a flexible, resilient energy system in Poland. Close German-Polish cooperation on technical, regulatory, and financial issues promotes bilateral knowledge transfer and accelerates market ramp-up. Challenges such as grid stability, competition for land, and financing continue to require innovative solutions, but the progress made underscores the potential of renewable energies for sustainable economic and climate policy in Central Europe.

With its on-schedule completion in 2025, the Borek project will not only become a supporting pillar in Poland's national energy mix, but also a beacon for further investments in the region's green transformation. The integration of agri-photovoltaics, sector coupling, and decentralized prosumer models already indicates that solar energy will expand far beyond pure electricity generation in the future and will serve as a key technology for a climate-neutral Europe.

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The heart of ModuRack 's innovation is its departure from conventional clamp fastening. Instead of clamps, the modules are inserted and held in place by a continuous support rail.

More about it here:

• NEW: ready -to -mount solar systems! This patented innovation accelerates your solar construction massively

From industrial roof PV to solar parks to larger solar parking spaces

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