81% of Poles support the development of onshore wind farms, 75% believe that onshore wind farms contribute to energy security and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and 85% of respondents believe that laws in Poland should support the development and use of renewable energy sources, including wind farms, according to the latest Social Changes survey. This confirms the importance, both for the economy and for the society, of the changes currently being introduced, liberalising the “Distance Act” by allowing willing municipalities to reduce the minimum distance between wind turbines and buildings to 500 metres.
The development of wind power is a proven route towards improving energy security. Enabling new investments in onshore wind today is not only an environmental necessity or an opportunity for economies, but also a necessity for access to own and independent sources. This direction is also recognised by Poles – the latest Social Changes survey shows that support for the development of onshore wind farms in Poland is as high as 81%.
Among the greatest benefits of onshore wind development, Polish respondents point to clean air (66%), cheaper electricity (66%) and energy independence (59%). Poles also believe that onshore wind turbines are associated with new jobs (25%), security (25%), development of Polish companies (22%) and budget revenues for municipalities (22%).
Government in line with expectations
In early July, the government adopted a draft amendment to the so-called Wind Turbine Act, which aims to unlock investment in onshore wind farms. Under the amendment, local governments will determine the location of new onshore wind power plants. With public acceptance, it will be possible to specify a different distance than that implied by the 10H rule, although not less than 500 metres from buildings.
These measures respond to the expectations of the Polish general public, with as many as 85% of respondents believing that the law in Poland should support the development and use of RES, including wind power plants. In addition, ¾ of the public sees the potential of onshore wind power to increase Poland’s energy security and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
– Our energy policy priority is to diversify energy sources. We have achieved the target for renewables, including onshore wind. This leads us to believe that this source has a chance of dynamic development in Poland“, said Anna Moskwa, Minister for Climate and Environment, during a press conference.
The survey shows that more than half of the respondents support the abolition of the 10H rule, which has been adopted by the government. Support for the autonomy of municipalities in enacting the distance between turbines and buildings is even higher, with 3/5 of respondents supporting these changes.
– Poles recognise the need for development of onshore wind and are aware of the benefits. We are pleased that this need is also recognised by those in power – the amendment to the Distance Act adopted by the government, which provides for the liberalisation of the infamous 10H rule, allows for a more than 25-fold increase in availability of land for wind projects. It is worth pointing out that the 500 m distance between a windmill and buildings, currently included in the law, is fully safe, and it is exactly the distance used by almost all of Europe. With this change, it is estimated that installed capacity from new onshore wind farms will reach about 13 GW by 2030, bringing the total capacity in wind to around 20 GW, says Janusz Gajowiecki, President of the Polish Wind Energy Association.
In addition to security issues, the development of onshore wind energy is also about accelerating Poland’s energy transition and a number of benefits for the economy and society. As shown by the Polish Wind Energy Association’s report[1], in the best development scenario new wind farms could generate PLN 70-133 billion in GDP growth, PLN 490-935 million in additional revenues for local governments, approx. PLN 80 billion in orders for products and services in the supply chain, and between 51,000 and 97,000 new jobs by 2030.
Wind and coal are not mutually exclusive
The role of wind power in the Polish energy mix is growing every year. Today, experts emphasise that renewables, and wind power in particular, are no longer in competition with the conventional coal power sector, but are in fact complementary to it, and the forthcoming changes in the energy sector show that the two technologies can complement each other perfectly in the transition process.
Onshore wind power has already proven more than once to be a solid support for conventional energy. On windy days in 2022 the share of RES in the Polish system exceeded 50% – providing big savings on coal and gas, which will be at a premium this winter.
– Conventional sources will be the guarantor for the security and stability of the energy system in the near future. However, in order to respond to the demand for electricity, Poland needs both coal and energy from renewables. Polish wind can be the best complement to conventional generation sources, says Janusz Gajowiecki, President of the Polish Wind Energy Association.
It is therefore crucial today that the gradual transition away from coal takes place in such a way as to ensure the security of energy supply. This can be achieved by accelerating investments to make us less dependent on commodity supplies from the East and by rapidly developing renewable energy sources (RES).
[1] http://psew.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DIAGNOZA_E_BOOK-PL.pdf