en.Wedoany.com Reported - Orlen SA has commissioned a 42.2 MW solar photovoltaic plant in Mažeikiai, Lithuania, with all generated electricity dedicated to supplying the 10.4 million-tonne-per-year refinery operated by its subsidiary Orlen Lietuva AB. The plant has been in operation since August 11, with an annual design output of approximately 45 GWh, saving the refinery around €4 million per year in electricity procurement costs and increasing the share of renewable energy in Orlen's business portfolio.
Located within the refinery premises, the plant covers 60 hectares and is equipped with approximately 68,000 bifacial photovoltaic modules, each with a rated capacity of 620 W. The bifacial design captures sunlight from both sides, maintaining high generation levels even under cloudy, low-light conditions. The plant's annual output of approximately 45 GWh can meet about 7% of the electricity demand of the Mažeikiai production site, covering power supply for the refinery's daily operations, office buildings, and critical on-site infrastructure.
The total investment in the project amounts to nearly €35 million, of which €2.5 million came from the EU Modernization Fund. Orlen stated that the plant enhances the refinery's energy security through on-site power supply and advances the company's regional energy transition initiatives.
Dariusz Zonenberg, CEO of Orlen Lietuva, stated that this is an important step in reducing the operational environmental impact and lowering the refinery's operating costs, while also increasing the share of self-generated renewable electricity, strengthening the company's competitiveness, and supporting the long-term strategy of the Orlen Group. Orlen also noted that the project aligns with its 2035 strategy to expand renewable energy capacity and improve the operational efficiency of industrial assets both in Poland and abroad.
Electrum sp. z o.o. of Białystok, Poland, served as the main contractor. When Orlen announced the project in September 2024, it stated that advanced bifacial modules can generate up to 30% more electricity than traditional monofacial modules. With this technology, the plant can achieve its annual generation target of 45 GWh, equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 15,000 households or enough to charge nearly 500,000 electric vehicles.
