Energy in Poland#Renewable energy

Poland's energy and climate policies are primarily outlined in two documents: the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which is mandatory for all countries in the European Union (EU), and the country-specific Energy Policy of Poland 2040 (EPP2040). The NECP lays out the necessary policies and measures for Poland to meet its energy sector goals as established by EU directives. Meanwhile, the EPP2040 serves as the national framework for the country's energy transition, aligned with the NECP, with the aim of putting the country on a path to a zero-carbon economy.

PEP2040 is a government plan for the Polish fuel and energy sector, which envisions expanding renewables capacity, building offshore wind farms, and commissioning a nuclear power plant.{{Cite web|title=Minister Kurtyka: "Polityka energetyczna Polski do 2040 r." udziela odpowiedzi na najważniejsze wyzwania stojące przed krajową energetyką w najbliższych dziesięcioleciach|url=https://www.gov.pl/web/klimat/minister-kurtyka-polityka-energetyczna-polski-do-2040-r-udziela-odpowiedzi-na-najwazniejsze-wyzwania-stojace-przed-polska-energetyka-w-najblizszych-dziesiecioleciach}} The plan was adopted in February 2021, aiming to tackle climate change, energy security, and a just transition.{{Cite web|title=Zaktualizowany projekt Polityki energetycznej Polski do 2040 r.|url=https://www.gov.pl/web/aktywa-panstwowe/zaktualizowany-projekt-polityki-energetycznej-polski-do-2040-r}} Poland aims to build 6–9 GW of nuclear power by 2040,{{cite web |last1=S.A |first1=PGE Systemy |title=About the Company |url=https://ppej.pl/en/about-the-company |website=ppej.pl}} with the first reactor operational by 2032 or 2033.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-27 |title=Koniec czekania. Polska będzie miała elektrownię jądrową. Atomowy kontrakt podpisany |url=https://next.gazeta.pl/next/7,151003,30235655,koniec-czekania-polska-bedzie-miala-elektrownie-jadrowa-atomowy.html |access-date=2023-11-26 |website=nextgazetapl |language=pl}}

|width=15em|     

|valign=top|

|width=15em|     

|valign=top|

|width=15em|     

|valign=top|

CO₂ emissions:
279.22 million tons

|}

File:Polish-electricity-mix.svg

{{Main |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.{{Cite web|title=Poland to subsidise coal power amid high CO2 prices – deputy PM|url=https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/poland-to-subsidise-coal-power-amid-high-co2-prices---deputy-pm-21215|access-date=2021-12-20|website=www.thefirstnews.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-04-28|title=Polish govt, unions initial plan to phase out coal by 2049|url=https://apnews.com/article/europe-poland-coal-mining-katowice-state-budgets-2f5b222e47418657b42ffb568c7038dc|access-date=2021-12-20|website=AP NEWS|language=en}} In September 2020, the government and mining unions agreed a plan to phase out coal by 2049,{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/environment/2020/10/22/can-poland-dirty-man-europe-end-love-affair-coal/ |title=Can Poland, the dirty man of Europe, end its love affair with coal? |last1=Gatten |first1=Emma |last2=Suszko |first2=Agnieszka |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |url-access=subscription |date=22 October 2020 |access-date=23 October 2020}} with coal used in power generation falling to negligible levels in 2032.{{cite web |title=Economics to Drive Coal Decline, Renewables Growth in Poland |url=https://about.bnef.com/blog/economics-to-drive-coal-decline-renewables-growth-in-poland/ |date=6 February 2023}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Bełchatów wciąż emituje najwięcej dwutlenku węgla w Europie |url=https://klimat.rp.pl/emisje/art36069631-belchatow-wciaz-emituje-najwiecej-dwutlenku-wegla-w-europie |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=Rzeczpospolita |language=pl}}

In 2020, coal played a significant role in Poland's energy mix, making up 69.5% of the nation's energy production and 68.5% of its electricity generation. It accounted for 40.2% of the Total Energy Supply (TES). The largest portion of coal consumption was in electricity and heat generation, representing 75.6% of the total demand. The industrial sector followed, utilizing 14.5%, and buildings were responsible for 9.9% of coal usage.{{Cite web |title=Poland 2022 – Analysis |url=https://www.iea.org/reports/poland-2022 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=IEA |language=en-GB}}

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.{{cite web |title=Russia cuts gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria |website=NPR |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418064506/https://www.npr.org/2022/04/27/1095099692/russia-cuts-gas-supplies-to-poland-and-bulgaria |archive-date=2023-04-18 |url-status=live |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/04/27/1095099692/russia-cuts-gas-supplies-to-poland-and-bulgaria}}

In September 2022 a gas pipeline connecting Poland with Denmark, allowing gas from Norway to pass through to Poland was commissioned.{{cite web |title=CEF Energy: the Baltic Pipe celebrates its commissioning in Poland |url=https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/cef-energy-baltic-pipe-celebrates-its-commissioning-poland-2022-09-27_en |date=27 September 2022}}

In 2020, natural gas constituted a notable component of Poland's energy mix, representing 6% of energy production and 17% of the Total Energy Supply (TES). The industrial sector emerged as the primary consumer, consuming 49% of the total natural gas. Residential buildings followed with a 23% share, co-generation processes accounted for 19%, service sector buildings utilized 7%, and the transport sector comprised the smallest share at 2%.

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. In 2019 there were 1,142 MW installed capacity power.{{cite book |last1=IRENA |title=Renewable capacity statistics 2020 International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) |date=2020 |isbn=978-92-9260-239-0 |url=https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2020/Mar/IRENA_RE_Capacity_Statistics_2020.pdf}}

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. 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.

{{Main |Wind power in Poland}}As of December 31, 2023, Poland had a total of 9,428.3 MW in wind power grid-connected capacity.{{Cite web |title=Moc zainstalowana farm wiatrowych w Polsce | Rynek Elektryczny |url=https://www.rynekelektryczny.pl/moc-zainstalowana-farm-wiatrowych-w-polsce/}}[https://www.rynekelektryczny.pl/moc-zainstalowana-oze-w-polsce/] Poland's 2040 energy plan (PEP2040) forecasts that the country will install up to 20 GW of land-based grid-connected wind power.

However, a report from April 2024 highlights that Poland's integration of wind power into the national grid has encountered significant challenges. Despite ambitious plans for expansion, the practical implementation faces operational difficulties. For instance, due to favorable weather conditions leading to an electricity oversupply, wind farms with a capacity of about 1.9 gigawatts had to be shut down on a specific Sunday. This curtailment was part of a broader adjustment affecting 4.5 gigawatts of renewable energy, necessitated by low demand at the time, even though renewables were supplying over half of the national power demand, which stood at 17.7 gigawatts. This incident underscores the complex challenges of managing intermittent energy sources within a grid that still relies significantly on coal. With a current installed capacity of 10.1 gigawatts, Poland continues to navigate the intricacies of integrating a growing share of renewable energy into its power infrastructure.{{Cite news |date=2024-04-14 |title=Poland Curbs Output From Wind and Solar Farms Amid Oversupply |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-14/poland-curbs-output-from-wind-and-solar-farms-amid-oversupply |access-date=2024-04-15 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}File:Elektrownia Wiatrowa w Wałdowie.JPG]]

Offshore wind

In September 2020, the government announced a 130 billion zloty (£26.5 billion) plan to invest in offshore wind.

Poland's "Offshore Wind Act" came into force in 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-02|title=The birth of offshore wind in Poland|url=https://windeurope.org/newsroom/press-releases/the-birth-of-offshore-wind-in-poland/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=WindEurope}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Polish Offshore Wind Act – current status|url=https://www.cms-lawnow.com/ealerts/2020/09/polish-offshore-wind-act-current-status|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.cms-lawnow.com|language=en}}

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.{{Cite web|title=Poland creates legal framework for offshore wind development in the Baltic Sea|url=https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/poland-creates-legal-framework-for-offshore-wind|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Pinsent Masons|language=en-GB}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://windeurope.org/newsroom/news/poland-adopts-historic-offshore-wind-act/|title=Poland adopts historic Offshore Wind Act|website=WindEurope|date=14 January 2021|access-date=27 June 2023}}

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.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-02|title=Polish Govt and Wind Energy Industry Sign Offshore Wind Co-Op Deal|url=https://www.offshorewind.biz/2020/07/02/polish-govt-and-wind-energy-industry-sign-offshore-wind-co-op-deal/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Offshore Wind|language=en-US}}

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, with around 19 GW forecast to be constructed. It will help with diversifying Poland's national power generation structure that today heavily depends on coal.{{Cite web|last=Vizzuality|title=Energy Policy of Poland unt... – Poland – Climate Change Laws of the World|url=https://climate-laws.org/geographies/poland/policies/energy-policy-of-poland-until-2030-and-2040-pep-2030-and-pep-2040|access-date=2020-11-22|website=climate-laws.org}}

A 2023 study suggested that Poland is currently only using around 15% of its total hydroelectric power capacity. 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.

{{Main |Solar power in Poland}}In 2019, the Polish government launched a scheme called "Mój Prąd",{{Cite web|title=Informacje szczegółowe o programie|url=https://mojprad.gov.pl/informacje-szczeg%C3%B3%C5%82owe-o-programie-m%C3%B3j-pr%C4%85d/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Mój Prąd|language=pl|archive-date=2020-11-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128012141/https://mojprad.gov.pl/informacje-szczeg%C3%B3%C5%82owe-o-programie-m%C3%B3j-pr%C4%85d/|url-status=dead}} 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.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-20|title=Fotowoltaika: w listopadzie koniec budżetu "Mój prąd". Będzie bonus?|url=https://wysokienapiecie.pl/33094-fotowoltaika-w-listopadzie-koniec-budzetu-moj-prad-bedzie-bonus/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=WysokieNapiecie.pl|language=pl-PL}}

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 17,057.1 MW as of 31 December 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.rynekelektryczny.pl/moc-zainstalowana-fotowoltaiki-w-polsce/ | title=Moc zainstalowana fotowoltaiki w Polsce | Rynek Elektryczny }}[https://www.rynekelektryczny.pl/moc-zainstalowana-oze-w-polsce/]

{{Image frame

|width = 600

|align=center

|pos=top

|content=

|caption = Estimates of PV in Poland (MW_peak)

}}

{{clear}}

Poland is planning to have its first nuclear reactor built by 2032-33.

Poland aims to integrate nuclear energy into its Energy Policy of Poland 2040, with plans to operationalize its first nuclear reactor, having a capacity of 1,250 MW by 2036, 3,750 MW by 2038,{{Cite web |title=O projekcie |trans-title=About the project |url=https://pej.pl/o-projekcie |access-date=2024-12-28 |publisher=Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe |language=pl}} and to establish six reactors with a combined capacity of 6–9 GW by 2043. This initiative is expected to enable nuclear power to contribute up to 16% of the nation's energy generation by 2040. The Polish Nuclear Power Programme (PNPP), launched in 2014 and updated in 2020, details these objectives, including safety, decommissioning, and waste management.

As of 2020, Poland had 1.7 GW of pumped hydro capacity and 9 MW of battery storage capacity. Those systems are mainly used for system balancing. As part of its 2040 energy plan, Poland aims to build an additional 1 GW of energy storage (which does not include any additional pumped hydro capacities).{{Cite web |title=Poland Electricity Security Policy – Analysis |url=https://www.iea.org/articles/poland-electricity-security-policy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926184350/https://www.iea.org/articles/poland-electricity-security-policy |archive-date=2023-09-26 |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=IEA |language=en-GB}}

{{Portal|Energy|Poland}}

• Oil industry in Poland
• Wind power in Poland
• Solar power in Poland
• Nuclear energy in Poland
• PGNiG – Polish state-controlled oil and natural gas company
• Renewable energy by country

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |title=Europe – Countries & Regions |url=https://www.iea.org/regions/europe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529002049/https://www.iea.org/regions/europe |archive-date=2023-05-29 |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=IEA |language=en-GB}}

{{Cite web |date=2024-06-04 |title=Installed Capacity per Production Type |url=https://transparency.entsoe.eu/generation/r2/installedGenerationCapacityAggregation/show?name=&defaultValue=false&viewType=TABLE&areaType=CTY&atch=false&dateTime.dateTime=01.01.2023+00:00|UTC|YEAR&dateTime.endDateTime=&area.values=CTY|10YPL-AREA-----S!CTY|10YPL-AREA-----S&productionType.values=B01&productionType.values=B02&productionType.values=B03&productionType.values=B04&productionType.values=B05&productionType.values=B06&productionType.values=B07&productionType.values=B08&productionType.values=B09&productionType.values=B10&productionType.values=B11&productionType.values=B12&productionType.values=B13&productionType.values=B14&productionType.values=B20&productionType.values=B15&productionType.values=B16&productionType.values=B17&productionType.values=B18&productionType.values=B19 |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=ENTSO-E Transparency Platform}}

{{Cite web |date=December 2024 |title=Miesięczne raporty z funkcjonowania Krajowego Systemu Elektroenergetycznego i Rynku Bilansującego |trans-title=Monthly reports on the operation of the National Power System and the Balancing Market |url=https://www.pse.pl/dane-systemowe/funkcjonowanie-kse/raporty-miesieczne-z-funkcjonowania-rb/raporty-miesieczne |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250317190339/https://www.pse.pl/dane-systemowe/funkcjonowanie-kse/raporty-miesieczne-z-funkcjonowania-rb/raporty-miesieczne |archive-date=2025-03-17 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A. |language=pl}}

{{Cite web |last=Ptak |first=Alicja |date=2025-01-02 |title=Poland produced record 29% of power from renewables in 2024 |url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2025/01/02/poland-produced-record-29-of-power-from-renewables-in-2024/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Notes From Poland |language=en-US}}

{{Cite web |title=Poland 2022 - Energy Policy Review |url=https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/b9ea5a7d-3e41-4318-a69e-f7d456ebb118/Poland2022.pdf |website=International Energy Agency}}

{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/renewable-energy/progress-reports|title=Progress reports – Energy – European Commission|website=Energy|date=31 July 2014|access-date=2016-07-02}}

{{Cite web |title=Publication: Energy Policies of IEA Countries – Poland 2016 Review |url=https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/energy-policies-of-iea-countries---poland-2016-review.html |access-date=2017-06-03 |website=www.iea.org}}

{{Cite web |last=Perzyński |first=Jacek |date=2023-06-13 |title=Do 2040 roku Polska na transformację energetyczną wyda ponad 726 mld zł |url=https://biznesalert.pl/polska-transformacja-energetyczna-oze-atom-wegiel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627100454/https://biznesalert.pl/polska-transformacja-energetyczna-oze-atom-wegiel/ |archive-date=2023-06-27 |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=BiznesAlert.pl}}

{{Cite web|url=https://www.energoprojekt.pl/en/completed-projects/hydro-power-plants|title=Hydro Power Plants|last=Administrator|website=www.energoprojekt.pl|language=en-gb|access-date=2017-06-25|archive-date=2017-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008231207/https://www.energoprojekt.pl/en/completed-projects/hydro-power-plants|url-status=dead}}

{{Cite web |title=Rośnie znaczenie energetyki wodnej |url=https://www.sodr.pl/informacje-branzowe/index/Rosnie-znaczenie-energetyki-wodnej/idn:2718 |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.sodr.pl |language=pl}}

}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/renewable-energy/national-action-plans European Commission National Renewable Energy Action Plans]
• [https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/renewable-energy/progress-reports European Commission renewable energy Progress Reports]
• [https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-directive/national-energy-efficiency-action-plans European Commission National Energy Efficiency Energy Action Plans]
• [http://www.agora-energiewende.org/service/publikationen/publikation/pub-action/show/pub-title/report-on-the-polish-power-system/ Report on the Polish power system (PDF 1.44 MB), February 2014 ]{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Poland topics}}

{{Energy in Europe}}

{{Europe topic|Energy policy of}}

{{Renewable energy by country}}

Poland