The energy off-take from renewable sources (RES) is a mechanism whereby electricity generated in installations such as photovoltaic farms, wind farms or biogas plants goes directly to an entity involved in energy trading or aggregation. In practice, this means that the owner of the installation does not consume the energy generated for their own needs (as a prosumer), but sells all the electricity produced – on market terms or under individually negotiated contracts.
This solution is primarily intended for medium and large producers (at Photon Energy, we work with producers with a capacity of around 1MW or more) who operate as professional producers rather than prosumers. These are most often:
In recent years, the energy off-take from RES has gained in importance as more and more installations are coming to the end of their support period in the FIT/FIP auction system and have to switch to a free market sales model. In addition, the rapidly growing number of photovoltaic projects has made the PV energy repurchase market one of the most competitive segments of renewable energy in Poland.
Energy repurchase companies, often referred to as aggregators, offer various cooperation models – from simple contracts based on exchange prices to long-term PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements), which provide investors with stable revenues for several or more years.
For energy producers, the most important thing is that the repurchase of energy from photovoltaics does not mean selling it at a predetermined, low rate, as was the case in the past. Today, it is a flexible, market-based process, in which it is possible to actively manage production, time of sale and method of settlement in order to obtain the highest possible price for each megawatt hour.
Smart Offtake is a modern model for the repurchase of energy from renewable sources, designed for large green energy producers – owners of photovoltaic farms, wind farms, hydroelectric power plants and biogas plants. This solution allows you to maximise energy revenues by eliminating the risk of losses associated with negative prices on the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) and providing full support for the trading, balancing and reporting process. Thanks to integration with SCADA, PLC or GSM/LTE systems, it is possible to intelligently and automatically limit production at times of unprofitable generation, which significantly reduces curtailment costs and increases the profitability of renewable sources.
Smart Offtake combines the classic energy repurchase model with a technical production optimisation service, enabling dynamic response to market conditions. We offer flexible energy repurchase agreements for photovoltaic and other renewable energy installations, concluded for a period of 1 to 3 years, with the possibility of extension or annual renewal. Producers can choose between a fixed price, ensuring predictable revenues, and a variable price based on the SPOT market (RDN/RDB), allowing them to take advantage of periods of high prices.
As part of Smart Offtake, we take over all operational processes – from forecasting and balancing, through guarantee of origin management, to monthly invoicing and reporting in accordance with SOGL and ZR requirements. The system also enables energy management for own use and, in the case of installations with energy storage facilities, the generation of additional revenue from the balancing market.
It is a simple, transparent and effective solution that sets us apart from standard energy purchase agreements. Thanks to Smart Offtake, renewable energy producers can fully exploit the potential of their installations, protecting their revenues even in conditions of volatile and unpredictable market prices.
The repurchase of photovoltaic energy is a process in which the electricity generated by a PV farm is fed into the grid and sold to a selected entity – a so-called energy aggregator or trading company. Unlike the prosumer system, where surplus energy is settled in net billing, in the case of commercial installations, all the energy produced is a commercial commodity – sold at market prices or prices agreed individually in a contract.
The repurchase process begins with the conclusion of an energy sales contract between the installation owner and the energy consumer. This is a key document that specifies:
In practice, the energy generated by a PV farm is transmitted to the distribution system operator's (DSO) grid. Data from the meters is transmitted to an aggregator, who then sells the energy on the exchange or directly to large consumers, such as industrial plants. The final repurchase price is therefore linked to:
In Poland, there are several models of cooperation between energy producers and consumers:
In most cases, producers do not sell energy themselves, but use the services of energy aggregators – specialised entities licensed to trade in energy and entered in the PSE register. The aggregator is responsible for:
This means that the owner of a PV farm does not have to get involved in the complexities of the energy market – all they have to do is provide measurement data and receive payment for the energy sold.
The repurchase of photovoltaic energy is therefore not just a commercial transaction, but a whole set of activities that connects the producer, aggregator, network operator and wholesale energy market. A well-structured repurchase agreement allows you to optimise revenues, reduce risk and maintain the long-term profitability of your PV project.
If you are considering selling energy from your own renewable energy installation, the following answers will help you better understand how repurchase agreements work, what pricing options are available, and what to look for when choosing a trading partner.
What is the offtake price of photovoltaic energy?
The offtake prices for photovoltaic energy depends on many factors – primarily on prices on the Polish Power Exchange (TGE), the type of contract concluded and the generation profile of the installation.
On the spot market (RDN and RDB), prices change every hour, depending on supply and demand. In recent years, average rates have ranged from PLN 200 to PLN 600/MWh, but during midday hours, when PV production is high, there are periods of negative energy prices.
Therefore, more and more producers are choosing to cooperate with aggregators who use intelligent generation management – limiting production during hours of negative prices and increasing sales efficiency.
As a result, the average repurchase price of energy from PV can be up to 10-20% higher than with a simple SPOT sales model.
Who can sell energy under a off-take scheme?
All entities that have the status of energy producers and operate on the basis of a licence or entry in the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) register can benefit from the RES energy buyback. In practice, these are:
In case of smaller installations (e.g. micro-PV installations up to 50 kW), it is also possible to purchase energy from business prosumers, but this requires an individual technical analysis and an appropriate consumption profile.
How to sign an energy off-take agreement?
Signing a photovoltaic energy offtake agreement is a relatively simple process, but it requires several formal and technical conditions to be met.
It usually follows the pattern below:
It is good practice to choose an experienced partner who is registered with PSE and who will take over balancing and reporting issues.
Is energy off-take from photovoltaics profitable?
Yes – provided that the installation operates efficiently and the repurchase agreement is well suited to the production profile.
Energy offtake is currently the most flexible way to sell energy from renewable sources, allowing revenues to be generated independently of state support schemes.
Compared to RES auctions, the repurchase model offers greater freedom in choosing a partner, contract length and sales strategy.
In addition, the use of energy storage facilities or smart control systems makes it possible to increase the average repurchase price by up to several dozen zlotys per MWh.
How does energy off-take differ from a PPA?
A photovoltaic energy repurchase agreement can take various forms, from short-term market contracts to long-term PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements).
The difference is that:
In practice, many companies offering PV energy repurchase also allow PPA agreements to be concluded, which allows investors to secure the price of energy for up to 10–15 years.
Can energy off-take be combined with storage?
Yes – this is an increasingly common solution on the market.
The use of energy storage or DSR (Demand Side Response) systems allows for temporary suspension of sales during low price hours and resale at peak demand times.
In combination with flexible energy repurchase (so-called dynamic pricing), this allows for profit maximisation and better utilisation of the potential of PV installations.
