Pad Res Clinches 160-MW Solar Deal in Poland’s July Auction

• Pad Res secures 160 MW of solar capacity in Poland’s July RES auction, winning 12 bids at prices up to PLN 314.77/MWh and boosting the nation’s green-power pipeline.

Polish developer Pad Res has emerged as one of the big winners in Warsaw’s latest renewables auction, locking in long-term support for almost 160 MW of photovoltaic capacity spread across a dozen projects. All 12 Pad Res bids submitted in the >1-MW basket were successful, underscoring the company’s growing influence in Poland’s fast-moving solar market. 

Held by energy regulator URE during the first week of July, the tender awarded contracts for 1.623 GW of solar projects and just 82.7 MW of onshore wind, confirming PV’s dominant role in the country’s decarbonisation push. Pad Res alone captured roughly a tenth of the PV volume on offer, a haul that will more than double the firm’s auction-backed pipeline. 

Auction rules required developers to bid a fixed price per megawatt-hour for 15 years. The solar tranche cleared between PLN 216.90 (EUR 51) and PLN 329.68/MWh. Pad Res said its highest winning tariff was PLN 314.77/MWh, giving it healthy headroom against current wholesale market averages while still offering the grid competitively priced clean power. 

Beyond the headline figure, the company also scooped up support for five sub-1-MW installations totaling 4.9 MW. Those smaller arrays will complement Pad Res’ existing 360 MW of auction-supported projects from 2024 and bring greater geographic diversity to its fleet, which is concentrated in central and northern Poland. Construction on the newest sites is expected to begin early next year, with first electrons flowing in 2027.

Poland’s auction results underline two broader trends. First, investors remain bullish on the nation’s solar resource despite grid-connection bottlenecks and regulatory churn. Second, industrial players are increasingly confident that PV can out-compete wind on price and execution risk, especially in inland regions where permitting for new turbines has slowed. For Pad Res, the outcome cements its status as a top-tier local developer just as Warsaw prepares to phase out coal-fired generation and raise its 2030 renewables target to 50 %.