Report: Wind Energy in Poland

Polish wind energy is entering a new era. After a decade of preparation, electricity from Poland’s first offshore wind farm – with an installed capacity of 1.2 GW – is set to flow to the grid before the end of 2026. At the same time, installed capacity in the onshore segment has surpassed 11 GW, making wind power the largest source of renewable energy in the country. It is at this landmark moment that the 13th edition of the “Wind Energy in Poland 2026” report is published – the most comprehensive Polish study of the wind energy sector, available in a bilingual edition (PL/EN).

The report is the result of collaboration between experts from three organisations: the Polish Wind Energy Association (PSEW), law firm DWF, and TPA Poland and Baker Tilly TPA. For over a decade, it has been essential reading for investors, developers, financing institutions, lawyers and public decision-makers active in Poland’s renewable energy sector.

What does the 13th edition cover?

This year’s edition combines a cross-sectional market analysis with in-depth legal, financial and tax analyses – covering both the onshore and offshore segments. Its distinguishing feature is a thematic special supplement dedicated to mechanisms supporting the development of the domestic industry in the RES sector.

Onshore wind energy

The report provides a detailed overview of the current legal framework in Poland: the auction system, cPPA contracts, spatial planning, environmental and construction procedures, and grid connection rules. Central to this year’s edition is the amendment to the Energy Law of March 2026 (the so-called Grid Act UC84) – a reform introducing new types of grid connection agreements (flexible and configurable), a mandatory milestone in the form of a building permit, and a pilot programme for competitive tenders for connection capacity. The report also includes an analysis of investment returns (IRR, LCOE), the impact of negative energy prices and non-market curtailment on project profitability, and up-to-date M&A transaction data.

Offshore wind energy

The report analyses the financial aspects of offshore investment: an estimated CAPEX of PLN 19.1 million per MW for an 800 MW farm in the Baltic Sea, an LCOE of approximately PLN 483/MWh (at a WACC of 7.3%), profitability indicators and project financing models. It also provides a detailed overview of the schedule for upcoming auctions (2027, 2029, 2031) and the progress of projects under both phases of support.

Energy markets – data and trends

The 2026 edition brings a complete set of market data: RES auction results for 2021–2025, the green certificates market (average price: PLN 27.1/MWh in 2025, cumulative surplus: 25.6 TWh), energy prices on the Polish Power Exchange (TGE), and the PPA/cPPA market. Particular attention is paid to the growing problem of negative energy prices – in 2025, the Polish power exchange recorded approximately 350 hours of sub-zero prices, nearly twice as many as the year before.

Legal and tax aspects

Among the legal and tax issues covered are: the real property tax following the 2025 amendment, depreciation of wind turbines, VAT on cPPA and vPPA contracts, and the implications of the Constitutional Tribunal ruling of August 2025 on the licensing fee. The report also addresses the implementation of the new National e-Invoicing System (KSeF) and the JPK CIT reporting structure in the context of wind energy projects.

“Investments in wind energy generate complex tax exposures that are often underestimated at the project planning stage. The growing popularity and diversification of cPPA contracts, new transactional and investment models involving the combination of different RES types and storage alongside complex financing and contracting structures create new areas of tax risk – from transfer pricing, through withholding tax, to VAT and excise duty. Tax planning is no longer an option, but a necessity for every investor entering this market.” – Wojciech Sztuba, Managing Partner, TPA Poland

Special Focus: Mechanisms supporting the development of the domestic industry in the RES sector

The thirteenth edition features an extensive special supplement dedicated to regulations that are fundamentally reshaping the rules of RES auctions from 2026 onwards. The NZIA Regulation and Implementing Regulation 2025/1176 introduce mandatory non-price criteria – cybersecurity requirements, responsible business conduct and project delivery capability at the pre-qualification stage, and contribution to supply chain resilience at the bid evaluation stage. The implementation deadline passed on 30 December 2025, yet as of the date of the report’s preparation, Poland had not yet published the relevant national implementing provisions.

The supplement also analyses Poland’s local content policy: the new definition of a domestic component according to MAP (the Code of Good Practices with six weighted criteria for assessing a supplier’s “domestic” character), the State Procurement Policy for 2026–2029, and the results of an original economic study. Its key finding: full utilisation of the offshore wind potential (the 33 GW scenario) would generate cumulative gross value added (GVA) for the Polish economy of approximately PLN 346 billion, more than 102,000 jobs (FTE-years) and around PLN 17.6 billion in corporate income tax revenues over a 30-year horizon – provided there is a systematic increase in the share of Polish companies in the supply chain (currently around 16%).

Why is the 13th edition worth reading?

2026 brings changes that are fundamentally reshaping the operating environment of Poland’s entire wind energy sector:

• First offshore auction concluded – 3,435 GW of contracted capacity, auction prices and the CfD mechanism under scrutiny, with further rounds already on the schedule.
• Grid connection reform – new flexible and configurable connection agreements, a 36-month building permit milestone, and a financial security of PLN 60/kW. Transitional provisions are critical for agreements concluded before the amendment came into force.
• NZIA non-price criteria – mandatory in RES auctions from 30 December 2025; Poland had yet to publish implementing national regulations as of the date of the report. What does this mean for investors?
• Local content as state policy – MAP’s Code of Good Practices, the State Procurement Policy, and the first measurable indicators of supplier “domestic” status.
• 350 hours of negative energy prices in 2025 – the growing problem of curtailment and its impact on the financial models of new projects.