ORLEN Group has commissioned a 42.2 MW photovoltaic farm at its Mazeikiai refinery in Lithuania. The installation is expected to generate approximately 45 GWh of electricity annually, covering around 7% of ORLEN Lietuva’s power demand. The company estimates that producing renewable electricity on site will reduce its annual energy purchasing costs by approximately €4 million.
The new facility has been built directly on the grounds of the Mazeikiai refinery and is the largest on-site renewable energy installation within the ORLEN Group.
The project covers approximately 60 hectares and consists of nearly 68,000 bifacial photovoltaic modules, each with a peak capacity of 620 W.
Unlike conventional solar panels, bifacial modules can capture sunlight on both the front and rear surfaces. This allows them to generate additional electricity from reflected solar radiation and improve energy yields under a wider range of conditions.
Refinery to Generate Part of Its Own Electricity
The solar farm is expected to produce approximately 45 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to around 7% of ORLEN Lietuva’s annual electricity consumption.
“For the first time, we will generate renewable electricity ourselves to meet part of the Mazeikiai refinery’s energy needs. This is an important step in reducing the environmental impact of our operations, but it also provides tangible support for the plant’s cost efficiency,” said Dariusz Zonenberg, CEO of ORLEN Lietuva.
According to the company, increasing the share of electricity generated directly at the refinery should reduce its dependence on energy purchased from the market and strengthen the competitiveness of the facility.
For large industrial plants, electricity prices are an important component of operating costs. On-site renewable generation can therefore serve two purposes: supporting decarbonisation while also limiting exposure to fluctuations in wholesale electricity prices.
€35 Million Investment
The total value of the solar project amounted to nearly €35 million. Of this amount, €2.5 million was provided through support from the European Union’s Modernisation Fund.
ORLEN estimates that generating electricity for its own consumption will reduce annual power purchasing costs by approximately €4 million.
The project therefore has an economic dimension in addition to supporting the Group’s energy transition. The Mazeikiai refinery is one of Lithuania’s most important industrial facilities and requires significant amounts of electricity to maintain its operations.
Producing part of that electricity directly at the site gives ORLEN Lietuva greater control over its energy costs while gradually increasing the share of renewable power used in its industrial processes.
Polish Contractor Behind the Mazeikiai Solar Project
The solar farm was constructed by Electrum, a company based in Bialystok, Poland.
The project therefore also involved a Polish contractor specialising in renewable energy infrastructure at one of ORLEN’s largest industrial assets outside Poland.
The commissioning of the solar farm forms part of measures included in the ORLEN Strategy 2035, which envisages further development of renewable energy sources as well as improvements in the efficiency of the Group’s industrial assets.
At Mazeikiai, renewable electricity will be consumed directly by the refinery, reducing the amount of power that needs to be purchased from external suppliers.
This type of on-site generation is becoming increasingly important for energy-intensive industrial facilities seeking to combine lower emissions with improved cost predictability.
ORLEN Has Invested Nearly €4.5 Billion in Mazeikiai
ORLEN has been present in Lithuania since 2006. Since then, the Group has invested nearly €4.5 billion in the acquisition and modernisation of the Mazeikiai refinery.
ORLEN Lietuva also operates the Butinge oil terminal, which plays an important role in supplying crude oil to Lithuania, as well as a railway terminal in Mockava used in the export of petroleum products, including shipments to Poland and Ukraine.
The new photovoltaic farm is part of a broader programme to modernise ORLEN Lietuva’s assets and increase the share of energy produced from the Group’s own sources.
For the Mazeikiai refinery, the project marks a shift from relying entirely on purchased electricity towards generating part of its power demand directly on site. Alongside the expected reduction in emissions, ORLEN expects the facility to deliver measurable savings and improve the long-term competitiveness of its Lithuanian operations.
Source: CEO.com.pl
