IntelliNews - Poland Renewable Energy Report - March 2012

Additional Information

Countries in central and south-eastern Europe are continuing to pursue their strategy to raise the share of renewable energy in overall consumption as a way to diversify their power mixes and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. So far, geographic and weather specifics have been the main factors that determine the sectors of priority for each individual state.

Poland hopes to beat its 15% target for renewable energy in its energy mix by 2020, thus partially reducing its dependence on energy imports. It, however, needs to work hard since it missed its end-2010 goal of 7.5%, registering a RES share of only 6%, according some estimates.

The country has set an ambitious 20% RES target for 2030 and plans to achieve it via creating support mechanisms and favourable investment climate for green power producers, as well as stimuli for the use of biofuels. The government has also set specific goals for the share of RES in electricity, heating and the remaining power subsectors.

Renewable energy will be the main driver of overall electricity generation in Poland, which is seen rising by an annual 1.7% by 2020. Green power generation is projected to climb by an average 15.5% in each of the coming eight years with biomass and wind energy offering the highest growth potential. In 2011 alone, wind power sources accounted for more than 80% of all newly-installed renewable capacities.