Five municipalities in the Zielawa Valley in Poland’s Lubelskie region have formed a partnership to cut pollution by increasing the share of renewable energy used in electricity production. To this end, they have built a photovoltaic farm with the capacity to generate 1.4 megawatts (MW) of power at any one time.
- 25 January 2017
Through investments such as this my municipality is seen as a development leader in my region. I am glad that we focus on innovation and that we are able to use our natural resources effectively.
The photovoltaic farm uses solar power to produce electricity which is fed into the grid. In all, 5 560 polycrystalline silicon modules were installed to convert sunlight into electricity.
For research purposes, the farm was fitted with 104 thin-film modules with a total capacity of 0.012 MW. These were made from three different types of material (amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride and copper indium gallium diselenide), allowing evaluation of the effectiveness of each one.
An ecologically minded partnership
Established in 2007, the Zielawa Valley partnership comprises the municipalities of Wisznice, Sosnówka, Rossosz, Jabłoń and Podedwórze, situated in the neighbouring counties of Biała Podlaska and Parczew. Two of its main aims are to care for the environment and to ensure energy security for residents.
Aware of the need to make heating systems less reliant on traditional energy sources, the partners identified solar power as an alternative and set up a company to carry out work related to energy security. All shares in the company are owned by the municipalities, with the size of each one’s holding determined by area and population.
Construction of the photovoltaic farm was the company’s first task and the project was one of the first of its kind in the Lubelskie region. As the partners had little experience in this area, scientists from the Technical University of Lublin advised them on systems and materials.
This cooperation has continued, with the partners monitoring the efficiency of different types of photovoltaic panel and informing scientists of the findings. A long-term job has been created for an electrician to supervise the farm.
Some conclusions have already been drawn and may be used in future investments. The results of the research have been presented at three conferences.
Protecting the environment by cutting emissions
In 2015, the farm produced some 1 520 megawatt hours of energy. To get the same amount conventionally, 684 tonnes of coal would have to be burned. This would emit more than 1 300 tonnes of CO2.
Through their promotion and support of the Zielawa Valley’s renewable energy potential, the participating municipalities aim to attract investors and increase the area’s economic competitiveness. By reducing pollution, they also seek to make the Zielawa Valley and the Lubelskie region more attractive to tourists. The results could encourage other local governments to become more active in shaping energy policy and raise awareness of ecological solutions in local communities.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Construction of photovoltaic farm with a capacity of 1.4 MW in the Zielawa Valley” is EUR 1 829 761, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 619 516 through the “Lubelskie” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period.