RENEWABLE ENERGY IN POLAND PATH TO LOW-EMISSION ECONOMY Marek Józefiak, climate and energy campaigner Polish Green Network Agenda: 1. Context 2. Renewable energy sector in Poland 3. Lessons learned/challenges Context: • 80’s – Poland – land of natural disasters • One of the most polluted countries in the World • Only 11% of forests were healthy • Doctrine of „non-productive installations” • Energy sector played big part • Huge losses (5-10% of GDP, poor public health) Sowie Mts, wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 Poland & Mongolia: brothers in coal Source: 2050.pl report Yet, rapid development of RES in Poland: • 2005: 7% >> 2013: 11,3% >> 2020: 15% • 2014: 6 GW installed • Biomass primary RES • Wind energy on the rise (3.8 GW) • Green Certificates to be replaced by auction system + FiT Challenges/lessons learned: 1. Legal environment needs to be stable 2. Downsides of green certificates - Well-suited for wind, too high for co-firing of biomass - Co-firing in over 60% of Polish coal power plants (20GW out of 30) - Oversupply of green energy >> prices of certificates dropped - Many technologies became less profitable. Big investment risk Challenges/lessons learned: 3. Support for co-firing decreased in new Bill 4. Problem of „virtual”, potential RES - New investments are blocked by projects which are unlikely to be carried out 5. New Bill on RES: auction system + FiT - May competition go too far? - FiT – controversy over prices - Microinstallations: big potential for PV RES as a path to innovative, lowemission economy: Rapid economic growth Innovations Eco-innovations Efficient use of available resources and labour Resource efficiency, green jobs, improved health Institutions Predictable environment for low-emission investments Modern, developed, low-emission economy Source: 2050.pl report BAYARLALAA! (THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION) Marek Józefiak, climate and energy campaigner Polish Green Network Email: [email protected]