Mažeikiai refinery to generate renewable energy
The Mažeikiai refinery, part of the ORLEN Group, is set to make a significant investment in advanced, environmentally sustainable solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. A 42.2 MWp solar PV farm will be installed on the refinery’s premises, marking a crucial initiative to reduce its carbon emissions into the atmosphere. ORLEN Lietuva’s investment supports the Group’s broader sustainability commitment to developing low- and zero-carbon captive energy solutions. The farm is scheduled for commissioning at the end of 2025.
“We are committed to advancing along a development path aligned with the Group’s strategic objectives. By effectively modernising the Mažeikiai refinery through investments in cutting-edge technologies, we are implementing environmentally responsible solutions that help mitigate our impact on the planet. The new photovoltaic system to be constructed on-site is expected to generate approximately 45,000 MWh of electricity annually. It will be fully utilised to meet the refinery’s operational needs, including powering office buildings and other critical infrastructure. Beyond reducing our operating costs, this project will also help drive forward the Group-wide energy transition process,” says Marek Gołębiewski, President of the Management Board of ORLEN Lietuva.
Occupying an area of 600,000 square metres, the solar PV farm will feature 68,000 bifacial PV modules, each with a capacity of 620 Wp. The advanced bifacial modules are designed to capture sunlight from both sides, enhancing efficiency, especially under low-light conditions on cloudy days. Such modules are capable of generating up to 30% more energy than conventional monofacial counterparts. By leveraging this technology, the system is expected to generate over 45,000 MWh of electricity annually – equivalent to powering around 15,000 households or charging nearly half a million electric vehicles.
The project encompasses the design and construction of the solar PV farm, securing the necessary permits, developing power plant infrastructure, and establishing a 6kV connection, with cable ducts laid on the refinery’s premises. The construction work will be led by Electrum, a Białystok-based contractor.
This initiative is part of the ORLEN Group’s broader renewable energy strategy, which includes recent solar installations at several key facilities. This year alone, four photovoltaic plants have been established at fuel terminals in Sokółka (with a capacity of 1.25 MWp), Żurawica (1.6 MWp), Ostrów Wielkopolski (3.1 MWp) and at the Płock Production Plant (4.8 MWp). An additional 2 MWp solar facility is currently under construction at ORLEN’s refinery in Płock. In addition, ORLEN has installed 30 solar micro-arrays at its service stations across Poland, with plans to extend this to 40 more sites. Currently, the ORLEN Group has over 1 GW of installed renewable energy capacity.
