The scale of photovoltaic power plant projects in Poland – a preliminary geostatistical study based on the EIA database

Abstract

The installed capacity of photovoltaic systems in Poland is steadily increasing. Although micro-installations dominate in the structure of the types of generating units of this type, large-scale installations - photovoltaic power plants - are also steadily increasing their share. These systems are not without environmental impact, and their implementation often encounters social conflicts. The work aimed to estimate the scale of photovoltaic power plants in Poland using data available in the environmental impact assessment database (using geostatistical analysis). The results of the study confirm a significant number of photovoltaic power plants planned to be built, with apparent spatial variation on a regional scale. In addition, the result of the geostatistical analysis proves that the most numerous group of projects are those with a capacity of less than 20 MW. Despite the relatively small number of projects with a capacity of more than 50 MW, they can make a significant contribution in terms of the installed capacity of photovoltaic systems.