A call by

Polish Wind Energy Association Members

Polish Association of Renewable Energy

Confederation Lewiatan

Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs

Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers

Polish Steel Association

UN Global Compact Network Poland

Association of Rural Municipalities of the Republic of Poland

Association of Renewable Energy-Friendly Municipalities

ReSource Poland Hub Foundation

 

The Russian aggression in Ukraine has irrevocably changed the path towards European energy transition. Acceleration of transition and enabling new renewable energy source (RES) investments in Poland to become a necessity for Poland’s sovereignty and its national interest.

Today, it is in the best-construed national interest of Poland to immediately unblock development potential of onshore wind. Dynamic growth of the sector will ensure the supply of inexpensive, green electricity, allowing for accelerated independence from Russian fossil fuels. At the same time, it will increase energy security of Poland and bring a number of benefits to the national economy.

Therefore, as representatives of the wind energy industry, other industries of the private sector and the local government we call for immediate unblocking onshore wind development through immediate completion of works and adoption of amendment to the Wind Energy Investments Act (10 h liberalisation)

Zero-emission transition of the economy with simultaneous ensuring energy security is the fundamental goal of power system development in Poland. The development of onshore wind as the least expensive technology for the production of RES electricity should constitute one of key elements of the achievement of the above goal. Liberalisation of rules applicable to the location of wind energy investments will enable implementation of new projects within investment cycles lasting several years, using state-of-the-art and environment-friendly technologies. At the same time, the current revision of assumptions for sustainable development criteria, currently being performed at the EU level, enables energy transition to be carried out with the use of the potential of the Polish coal energy sector, matching the assumptions of socially just transition. Bearing the above in mind, the wind and coal energy sectors have to be perceived as mutually supplementary pillars of energy transition of Poland. Dynamic growth of the onshore wind energy sector will enable the transition to be carried out in a manner limiting costs for final customers and to form a pillar for the competitiveness of the Polish economy.

BENEFITS STEMMING FROM LIBERALISATION OF THE 10 h PRINCIPLE AND ONSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT:

• Energy security — diversification of generation sources will enable reduction of dependence from external fossil fuel supplies, streamlining complete withdrawal from import of Russian fossil fuels. The volume of energy produced from coal imported from Russia corresponds to 6 GW of installed capacity in onshore wind. Currently, onshore wind provides 7.1 GW of installed capacity, where its potential is much higher, estimated at as much as 30 GW.
• Supplementation of conventional generation — in the nearest future conventional sources will guarantee the security and stability of the power system. However, Polish coal and conventional power plants are not capable of providing a full response to the increase in the demand for electricity that is to be expected in the context of the embargo, rightly announced by the Polish government. Instead of importing Russian coal and gas, we need to increase the use of the potential of Polish wind. It will supplement conventional generation and contribute to decreased electricity price risk for final customers.
• Decreased electricity bills — wind energy is the least expensive source of electricity, offering costs 3–3.5 times lower than in case of conventional sources. More wind energy in national energy mix means lower average prices for all customer groups.
• Economic growth — new wind farms may generate PLN 70–133 billion of GDP growth, PLN 490–935 million of additional revenue foe local governments, approximately PLN 80 billion of orders for products and services in the supply chain and from 51 to 97 thousand new jobs in the 2030 perspective. Local content may reach as much as 75% within the next 10 years.
• Benefits for Polish entrepreneurs — liberalisation of the 10 h principle will translate into measurable benefits for Polish energy-intensive industries, which in connection with the newly assumed rules for awarding compensations to energy-intensive (sub)industries will be obliged to demonstrate, among others, the use of energy from sources ensuring total avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, direct supply of inexpensive, green electricity will determine the competitiveness of the Polish industry and the investment environment in Poland.
• RES-based hydrogen technologies will reduce gas dependence — currently Poland imports approximately 80% of consumed gas. War in Ukraine emphasized the importance of the origin of gas as a bridging technology for the transition of the energy production sector, therefore it is crucial to seek and develop other solutions. In the nearest future green hydrogen and its derivatives will become the basis for the operation of industry in Poland and the European Union, displacing gas in technological processes. In 2040, annual demand for green hydrogen in Poland will exceed 100 TWh. Such a demand will be satisfied by increase in wind energy capacity.
• Development of hybrid installations — dynamic growth of the RES sector requires implementation of solutions enabling substantial improvement in capacity factors of particular electricity production technologies and securing benefits stemming from distribution grid operation. A solution to address these issues are hybrid installations, among which wind energy, as the least expensive technology for the production of RES electricity, will contribute to the promotion and development of energy storage experiences.

We cannot miss the opportunity to build energy-independent and safe Poland. Further delay in abolishment of provisions blocking onshore wind development cannot be compensated for, and its effects may prove much more devastating that we recently assumed.

Bearing the above in mind, we declare our readiness for immediate commencement of a substantive dialogue with competent representatives of the government to enable immediate submission of the governmental draft amendment to the Wind Energy Investments Act for parliamentary works.

 

This Call is addressed to:

1. Mateusz Morawiecki — The Prime Minister
2. Jarosław Kaczyński — Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Committee of the Council of Ministers for National Security and Defence Affairs
3. Jacek Sasin — Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for State Assets
4. Anna Moskwa — Minister for Climate and Environment
5. Ireneusz Zyska — Secretary of State, Government Representative for Renewable Energy Sources
6. Michał Wiśniewski — Deputy Minister for Development and Technology