Under the cPPA, Auchan retail stores will purchase approximately 115 GWh of solar power annually from 35 Polish photovoltaic parks operated by GoldenPeaks Capital. For GoldenPeaks, the agreement ensures the long-term, secure offtake of solar energy from its Polish PV assets. For Auchan, it provides price stability and long-term security in energy procurement. The energy transfer is managed by Axpo Polska, which acts as the route-to-market service provider. As such, Axpo assumes balancing group responsibility and ensures the integration of solar power into the energy market – including balancing services and demand-based delivery.
Also interesting: Nina Hojnik of ZSFV: “The focus has been on shaping the legal framework”
Axpo Polska – A Flexible Link Between Generation and Consumption
Axpo Polska is the Polish subsidiary of Swiss-based Axpo Holding AG, Switzerland’s largest producer of renewable energy and an international marketing company of solar and wind power. Axpo provides the necessary market infrastructure for such agreements but also enables flexible contract models tailored to the specific needs of both producers and consumers.
Decarbonizing corporate energy consumption with a cPPA
Corporate Power Purchase Agreements are increasingly used worldwide as a strategic tool for corporate decarbonization. Auchan is leveraging this model to reduce its CO₂ emissions in Poland – a step toward the company’s global goal of cutting emissions across its entire value chain by 46% by 2030. The company is a family-owned multinational retail group headquartered near Lille, France and is operating more than 2,000 stores in 12 countries, including France, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Hungary.
Also interesting: Tobias Schuessler of Goldbeck Solar Polska: “The demand for solar parks is rising”
Direct marketing profitable even in emerging markets
This cPPA strengthens the renewable energy market in Poland and demonstrates how PV plant operators can generate stable revenues and scale their operations even in a developing market. GoldenPeaks Capital, the plant operator, is an internationally active company specializing in the development, construction, and operation of photovoltaic and wind power plants, battery storage systems, and green hydrogen facilities. The company focuses on corporate clients with high energy consumption. Adriano Agosti, Founder and President of GoldenPeaks Capital, explains: “This type of contract gives us planning security and enables us to expand PV infrastructure in Poland and the region.” Alexandre Saussard, CEO of Auchan Polska, states: “Thanks to the solution structured by Axpo, our stores in Poland gain physical access to green electricity. This provides us with long-term price stability and greater independence from the energy market.”
Also interesting: Harald Scherleitner, Fronius: „For 2024, we expect another 3.6 GW of installed power.“
Stable energy prices, supply security, and decarbonization
For the European photovoltaic industry, this agreement serves as a model case demonstrating how investors, energy traders, and industrial companies can collaboratively create scalable solar power solutions that benefit all parties involved as well as the environment. (mg)