Wento—an Equinor subsidiary—has begun test production at Lipno, a 53 MW solar project in Poland’s Wielkopolskie province. This third solar facility brings Equinor’s onshore renewables capacity in the country to nearly 200 MW.
Europe’s Fastest-growing Renewable Energy Market
Lipno, located in the Wielkopolskie province, is Equinor’s third solar plant in Poland. The plant was developed and will be operated by Wento, Equinor’s wholly-owned subsidiary. This expansion strengthens the company’s position in one of Europe’s fastest-growing renewable energy markets.
Lipno solar project Poland
In 2021, Equinor acquired Wento and its 1.6 GW pipeline of solar projects. In the three years since, Wento has evolved from a small-scale solar developer into a multi-technology power producer, now operating three solar plants and one onshore wind park in Poland with a combined capacity of around 200 MW.
Anders Bade, senior vice president for onshore and markets within Renewables at Equinor, commented on the strategy: “Wento’s path demonstrates how we use our investments in regional development firms to create a significant and lucrative onshore renewables company in certain regions.”
Powering 140,000 Polish Households
Wento’s portfolio generates an estimated 280 GWh of power annually, enough to meet the electricity needs of approximately 140,000 Polish households. Equinor’s energy trading subsidiary, Danske Commodities, has signed a balancing agreement with the Lipno solar plant and will handle its power sales in the Polish market.
This arrangement leverages Danske Commodities’ nearly 15 years of power trading experience in Poland, providing a proven route-to-market for Wento’s assets.
According to Anders Bade, this unique business model allows Equinor to efficiently scale its onshore renewables portfolio while also enhancing value through optimized power trading.
Since the acquisition, Wento has more than doubled its project pipeline to over 3 GW, with projects at various stages of development. This expanded portfolio now includes not only power generation but also battery storage initiatives designed to increase flexibility and unlock more value.
Wojciech Cetnarski, CEO of Wento, noted that Poland is actively advancing its renewable energy sector to strengthen domestic power capacity and energy security. “This offers Wento and Equinor a thrilling chance to take the lead in a developing renewable energy sector,” Cetnarski remarked.
Ensuring Future Grid Stability for Poland
Earlier this year, Wento secured contracts in the Polish Capacity Market Auction for four battery storage projects totaling approximately 400 MW/1.6 GWh. Final investment decisions for these projects are expected within the next few years, according to Michał Jerzy Kołodziejczyk, Equinor’s country manager in Poland.
He emphasizes that battery storage will be critical for ensuring future grid stability as the nation expands its renewable energy capacity.
“Equinor wants to help Poland through its energy transition and be a dependable energy partner. We are expanding the nation’s energy supply and generating sources to provide a wide range of energy options,” Kołodziejczyk added.
Equinor’s strategic expansion in Poland through its subsidiary Wento highlights its commitment to developing renewable energy infrastructure. The commissioning of the Lipno solar plant, alongside other key solar and wind projects, marks Equinor’s growing footprint in the country’s renewable sector.
With a growing portfolio that now includes advanced battery storage solutions, Equinor is well-positioned to meet Poland’s increasing energy demands sustainably while also contributing significantly to the nation’s energy security and its transition to a cleaner future.
