At Kotun, on 19 September, the symbolic ribbon was cut by Michal Glowacki – Managing Director of Lightsource bp in Poland, Marcin Porzucek – Member of the Polish Parliament, Adam Bogrycewicz – Councillor of the Wielkopolska Regional Assembly, Tobiasz Wiesiołek – Mayor of the Szydłówek Municipality and Tomasz Taff, Member of the Management Board of the Polish company Electrum, the construction contractor.
Yesterday, the British Ambassador to Poland, Anna Clunes, gave an address at a celebration event in Warsaw and expressed her congratulations: “I am very glad to see British companies like Lightsource bp support Poland’s transition towards carbon neutrality. Lightsource bp's first photovoltaic farm in Poland is a real milestone on the way to low carbon energy. The UK is keen to partner with Poland to make ever faster progress on the road ahead”.
The Kotuń Solar Farm is a key project for Lightsource bp, marking a significant milestone in the company’s contribution to Poland’s renewable energy sector. This project supports Lightsource bp’s global strategy of driving the energy transition while helping Poland achieve its energy transition goals.
Michał Głowacki, Managing Director of Lightsource bp Poland stated, “Solar energy is of great importance for Poland’s energy transition, and we are incredibly proud to deliver the Kotuń photovoltaic farm, our first significant contribution to the national decarbonisation goals”.
Lightsource bp is well on its way to becoming a solar leader in Poland. Since launching operations in Poland at the end of 2020 it has progressed projects with a current total capacity of 3.2 GW, delivered the 50MW Kotun Solar Farm, signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Microsoft to supply green energy, and continues to grow their team and operations.
Key facts about the Kotuń Solar Farm:
- Location: The Kotuń Solar Farm is situated in Szydłowo, Piła County, in the Wielkopolska region.
- Capacity: The farm consists of five individual projects, with a total installed capacity of 50MWp and a grid connection capacity of 40MW. In 2023, a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was signed with Microsoft for this capacity, sufficient to power nearly 27,000 homes.
- Size: The farm covers over 76 hectares, with more than 87,000 photovoltaic panels installed.
- Technology: Kotuń Solar Farm features state-of-the-art solar trackers, which adjust the angle of the panels throughout the day to maximise their exposure to sunlight, increasing energy production by 10-25%. It is the largest solar farm in Poland to utilise this technology.
- Construction: Building works began in February 2023 and were completed by May 2024. Nearly 2,000 tonnes of steel were used to construct the panel mounting system. The project was executed by Polish company Electrum, with key components, such as transformer stations and cables, sourced from Polish manufacturers.
- Benefits to the local community: The Kotuń Solar Farm will generate over PLN 1 million annually in tax revenue for the Szydłowo municipality, providing stable financial contributions to support local development and infrastructure projects.
More information on Lightsource bp and the company's PV projects: https://lightsourcebp.com/
