The Polish energy sector is the fifth largest in Europe.[1] In 2022, the country consumed 13.16 TWh of electricity, importing 3 114 GWh thereof.[2]
The Polish energy mix in 2021 is dominated by hard coal (approx. 48%) and lignite (24%). When it comes to green energy, wind installations had the highest contribution of 9%, with other sources playing a smaller part, but growing at a faster pace.[3] The future plan is to generate at least 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2040 and to have some nuclear power capacity, by which time coal will cease to generate electricity.
PEP2040 is a government plan for the Polish fuel and energy sector, which aims for 50% zero-emissions by 2040. It envisions building offshore wind farms and commissioning a nuclear power plant.[4] The draft was presented in September 2020, aiming to tackle climate change, energy security, and a just transition.[5] Poland aims to build 6–9 GW of nuclear power by 2040,[6] with the first reactor operational by 2032 or 2033.[7]
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CO2 emissions: |
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Main article: Coal mining in Poland |
In 2009 Poland produced 78 megatonnes (Mt) of hard coal and 57 Mt of brown coal. As of 2020, extraction is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive, and has become uncompetitive so reliant on government subsidies.[9][10] In September 2020, the government and mining unions agreed a plan to phase out coal by 2049,[11] with coal used in power generation falling to negligible levels in 2032.[12]
Coal mining has far-reaching effects on local water resources. Coal mining requires large amounts of water. Mining activities have dropped the water level of Lake Ostrowskie by almost two meters in the Kuyavia–Pomerania and the lakes in the Powidz Landscape Park. According to Poznań's University of Agriculture, the water drainage in the Kleczew brown coal mining areas has formed craters in the area.[13] Statistics from Eurostat shows that Poland accounts for 30% of the European Union's annual consumption of coal.[14]
Ten coal power stations in Poland and Germany account for 13 per cent of the EU’s total emissions and 25% of all emissions from the power sector in 2022.[15]
In April 2008, five thousand people demonstrated in Kruszwica to protect cultural heritage and the nature reserve at Lake Gopło. This was the first protest of its kind in the country's history. Gopło Millennium Park (Nadgoplański Park Tysiąclecia) is protected by the European Union's Natura 2000 program and includes a major bird sanctuary. The Tomisławice opencast mine (less than 10 kilometers away from the Kruszwica mine) was due to open in 2009.[13]
In 2021 demonstrations took place with coal workers protesting against the EU plans to close coal as an energy source[16] and later to close the Turow brown coal mine.[17]
The Bełchatów Power Station in the Łódź region supplies almost 20% of Poland's energy. It is the largest brown coal power plant in the EU, and also the single biggest source of CO2 emissions in the region.[18]
During the April 2022 Russia–European Union gas dispute, Russia cut off natural gas deliveries to Poland after demanding to be paid in Russian rubles during currency disruptions caused by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[19]
In September 2022 a gas pipeline connecting Poland with Denmark, allowing gas from Norway to pass through to Poland was commissioned.[20]
In 2018 48% of electricity produced in Poland came from hard coal, 29% from brown coal, 13% from renewable sources (mostly wind power) and 7% from natural gas.[21] In parts of 2020, electricity costs in Poland were the highest in Europe.[22]
| Achievement | Year | Achievement | Year | Achievement | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 1993 | 10% | 2011 | 15% | 2019[8] |
Renewable energy includes wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy sources.
A binding European Union resolution, the Renewable Energy Directive 2009, stipulates a 15% renewable energy target for total energy use in Poland by 2020. According to the Polish National Renewable Energy Action Plan, the 2020 figure is set to exceed this target by 0.5% at 15.5% of overall energy use, broken down as 19.1% of total electricity consumption, 17% in the heating and cooling sector, and 10.1% in the transport sector.[23]
As of 2014–2015 renewable energy provided around 10% of total primary energy supply in Poland as well as around 13% of total electricity generation.[24]
| 2013[25] | 2014[25] | 2015[26] | 2016[26] | 2017[26] | 2018[26] | 2019[27] | 2020[27] | 2021[27] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renewable energy share of heating and cooling sector | 14.07% | 13.95% | 14.54% | 14.68% | 14.48% | 14.56% | 22,00% | 22.14% | 21.03% |
| Renewable energy share of electricity sector | 10.73% | 12.40% | 13.43% | 13.36% | 13.09% | 13.03% | 14.36% | 16.24% | 17.17% |
| Renewable energy share of transport sector | 6.03% | 5.67% | 5.62% | 3.92% | 4.20% | 5.63% | 6.20% | 6.58% | 5.66% |
| Renewable energy share of total energy consumption | 11.34% | 11.45% | 11.74% | 11.27% | 10.90% | 11.16% | 15.38% | 16.13% | 15.62% |
As of year end 2014 Poland had achieved an 11.45% share of renewable energy use as a percentage of overall energy usage. The overall 2014 share breaks down as 13.95% of the heating and cooling sector, 12.40% of the electricity sector and 5.67% of the transport sector.
As of 2015 Biomass and waste was the largest source of renewable energy in Poland providing an estimated 8.9% of total primary energy supply (TPES) in that year and an estimated 6.1% of electricity generation.[24] In 2019 there were 1,142 MW installed capacity power.[28]
Solid biomass is the most important source by volume, providing fuel for heat and power plants or consumed directly for industrial or household heat requirements. Biogasses are also used in heat and power plants as well whilst waste is mainly used as a fuel in industry.[24] In 2014 0.7 Mtoe of biofuels were used in transport, 81% as biodiesel and 19% as biogasoline, making up 5% of the total energy consumption in the transport sector in 2014.[24]
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Main article: Wind power in Poland |
Wind power is becoming more important, passing 1,000MW capacity in 2010 and 5,000MW in 2015. The Polish NREAP plan of 6,700 MW of wind power by 2020 was almost met, whilst EWEA's 2009 forecast suggests a higher wind capacity of 10–12 GW is possible.[29]
Wind power is estimated to have provided 6.6% of total electricity generation in 2015.[24] The total wind power grid-connected capacity in Poland was 9,107.8 MW as of 31 August 2023.[30][31]
Offshore wind
In September 2020, the government announced a 130 billion zloty (£26.5 billion) plan to invest in offshore wind.[11]
Poland's "Offshore Wind Act" came into force in 2020.[32] The main purpose of the Act is to set the framework for a dedicated subsidy scheme for offshore wind projects. However, it also addresses other relevant issues pertaining to the development and operation of offshore projects.[33]
According to Polish Wind Energy Association (PWEA), offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea with an overall capacity of 5.9 GW are set to "receive support under a two-sided contract for difference between the investor and the regulator. Awarding support under this formula will be time-limited until the end of June 2021." In a second phase, contracts are planned to be awarded by auctions. The first is to take place in 2025. The PWEA said that support will be available for projects with a total capacity of 2.5 GW in each of the auctions.[34] By 2050, Poland wants a massive 28 GW in offshore sector, which would make Poland the largest operator of offshore wind in the Baltic Sea.[35]
On 1 July 2020 representatives of the Polish government and Polish wind energy industry signed a “Letter of Intent on cooperation for development of offshore wind power in Poland”. The letter acknowledges the role of offshore wind in meeting the European Union's Green Deal objectives while increasing the security of energy supply and reducing Poland's CO2 emissions.[36]
In its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) Poland identified offshore wind as one of key technologies to meet its goals for renewable energy for 2030. Offshore wind has also been described as strategic in the draft of Poland's Energy Policy until 2040. It will help diversifying the Polish national power generation structure that today heavily depends on coal.[37]
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Capacity (MWe) | Type | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Żarnowiec | Pomorskie | 680 | pumped storage | [38] | |
| Żar | Śląskie | 500 | pumped storage | [39] | |
| Solina | Solina | 200 | pumped storage | [40] | |
| Włocławek | Kujawsko-Pomorskie | 160 | river dam | [41] | |
| Żydowo | Zachodniopomorskie | 150 | pumped storage | [42] | |
| Niedzica | Małopolskie | 92.75 | pumped storage | [43][44] | |
| Dychów | Lubuskie | 90 | pumped storage | [45] | |
| Rożnów | Małopolskie | 50 | run of the river | [46][47] | |
| Grajówka | Lubuskie | 2.79 | run of the river | [48][49] | |
| Future planned plants | |||||
| Mloty | Dolnośląskie | 750 | pumped storage | [44][50] | |
A 2023 study suggested that Poland is currently only using around 15% of its total hydroelectric power capacity.[51] Poland currently has 786 hydroelectric power plants, the vast majority of which (705) are relatively small, generating no more than 1 MW. Many of the smaller power plants are privately owned by small firms and family businesses, with the bigger ones owned by major electricity producers or the state.[51]
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Main article: Solar power in Poland |
In 2019, the Polish government launched a scheme called "Mój Prąd",[52] which is dedicated to supporting the development of prosumer energy, and specifically supporting the segment of photovoltaic (PV) micro-installations. The budget of the program is currently PLN 1.1 billion.[53]
As a result, in recent years there has been a significant increase in power in this segment of the energy sector. The total solar photovoltaics (PV) grid-connected capacity in Poland was 15,627.5 MW as of 30 September 2023.[54][55]
| 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 | 2 | 110.9 | 193.9 | 287 | 486.5 | 3,960 | 7,670 | 12,189 |
Poland is planning to have its first nuclear reactor built by 2032-33.[7]
On November 4, 2021, Poland signed the 'Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement.
April 2022 Jacek Sasin, minister for state assets and a deputy prime minister, said that the Russia-Ukraine war made it necessary for Poland to review an earlier energy strategy which assumed the closedown of coal energy [71]
