The ORLEN Group has completed the acquisition of a hybrid renewable energy project in the municipality of Kazimierz Biskupi in Poland’s Greater Poland region. The complex, with a total capacity of 216 MW, will combine a photovoltaic farm with wind turbines. Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026, while full commercial operation is expected in the second quarter of 2028.
The project was acquired by ORLEN New Power, a company belonging to the energy group that is responsible for developing and managing its onshore renewable energy assets.
ORLEN purchased two special-purpose companies from Polish developers ONDE and Neo Energy Group. The companies hold the rights to develop a 180 MW photovoltaic farm and a 36 MW wind farm. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.
Once operational, the installation is expected to generate approximately 315 GWh of electricity annually. According to ORLEN’s estimates, this would be sufficient to meet the annual electricity demand of nearly 143,000 households.
A Solar Farm and Nine Wind Turbines
The 180 MW photovoltaic installation will account for most of the complex’s total capacity. The wind component will consist of nine Vestas V136 turbines, each with a capacity of 4 MW.
The companies from which ORLEN acquired the project vehicles will remain involved in the investment. ONDE will serve as the general contractor, while Neo Energy Group will be responsible for managing the construction process. Energa Green Development has been appointed to provide investor supervision on behalf of the ORLEN Group.
ONDE had previously included the Solar Kazimierz Biskupi company in its renewable energy project portfolio. The company follows a business model based on developing and constructing wind and solar farms before selling them to energy-sector investors.
“Through today’s acquisition, we are expanding ORLEN’s renewable energy portfolio with a 216 MW project that will combine electricity generation from solar and wind power while enabling the efficient use of grid connection infrastructure,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, CEO of ORLEN.
He added that Polish companies would be involved in the implementation of the investment.
One Grid Connection for Two Energy Sources
The Kazimierz Biskupi project will be developed using a cable-pooling model. This solution allows the photovoltaic farm and wind turbines to use the same connection to the electricity grid.
Solar and wind energy typically reach their highest production levels under different weather conditions and at different times. As a result, the two sources can complement each other, reducing the periods during which grid connection infrastructure remains underused.
Cable pooling does not, however, mean that the full combined capacity of both installations can be fed into the grid at all times. The volume of electricity transmitted remains limited by the grid connection capacity specified in the connection agreement.
The operation of both energy sources must therefore be managed in a way that prevents them from exceeding the parameters of the available connection.
For investors, cable pooling can improve infrastructure utilisation and reduce some of the expenditure associated with constructing separate grid connections. This is particularly important given the limited availability of new grid connection capacity in Poland.
ONDE has previously identified the optimisation of renewable projects through combinations of photovoltaic installations, wind farms and potentially energy storage facilities as one of the key directions for the development of its portfolio.
“Combining solar and wind energy improves the efficiency of grid infrastructure use while strengthening the ORLEN Group’s value-generation potential,” said Tadeusz Zborowski, Vice-President for Finance at ORLEN New Power.
Construction to Begin in 2026
Construction work is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026. The first energisation of the project and connection to the grid are expected at the beginning of 2028.
Full commercial operation of the complex is planned for the second quarter of 2028. This means that approximately two years are expected to pass between the start of construction and the installation entering normal operation.
The timetable may, however, depend on factors including the progress of construction work, equipment deliveries, installation testing, technical acceptance procedures and agreements related to the grid connection.
ORLEN Expands Its Renewable Energy Cluster in Greater Poland
Kazimierz Biskupi will be another hybrid renewable energy investment developed by the ORLEN Group in Greater Poland. The Kleczew Solar & Wind complex, which also combines solar and wind generation, is located approximately eight kilometres away.
Once the new project becomes operational, the two complexes are expected to form a renewable energy cluster with a combined capacity of 485 MW. Concentrating assets within a relatively small area may make their management, technical maintenance and servicing more efficient.
ORLEN also expects to reduce operating costs through the use of shared facilities and the experience gained during the development of the earlier project.
The acquisition is part of ORLEN’s broader renewable energy expansion. The group is investing simultaneously in onshore wind farms, photovoltaic installations and offshore wind projects.
In June 2026, ORLEN announced that construction of the approximately 1.2 GW Baltic Power offshore wind farm had entered its final phase.
In the case of the Kazimierz Biskupi project, ORLEN is acquiring an investment at an advanced stage of development while retaining its original developers as contractors and construction-management partners. This allows the group to expand its planned renewable energy capacity without carrying out the entire development process from the beginning.
Source: CEO.com.pl
