Poland Awards Nearly 1 Gigawatt Of Wind Energy In Latest Renewable Energy Auction

  Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office announced last week that it has awarded nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of wind energy in a mixed renewable energy auction held on November 5 at prices so low experts believe the country could award a further 850 megawatts (MW) of capacity.

The Polish Energy Regulatory Office revealed the results of five separate renewable energy auctions held over the first two weeks of November. Two auctions yielded no awarded generation due to lack of offers, while a third auction awarded only one contract to what appears to be a biomass project. A fourth auction yielded contracts for what appears to be 29 biogas projects ranging in price from PLN 538.86/MWh to PLN 569.69/MWh and totaling around 3.490 terawatt-hours to be sold over 15 years.

Coal-Heavy Poland Moves to Renewables, Finally

But coal will be king for a long time.

Poland, Europe’s biggest exporter and second-biggest consumer of coal, is cautiously embracing renewables to improve the security of its energy supply and meet European Union targets.

At the end of last month, the country’s upper house of parliament approved the removal of clean power investment roadblocks within a new renewable energy law aimed at putting Poland back on track to meet its EU commitment of 15 percent renewables by 2020. 

Polish Parliament Approves Changes to Green Energy Law

Poland’s upper house of parliament approved an amendment to the renewable sources of energy law on Friday meant to remove obstacles to green energy investment and help Warsaw meet EU renewable energy targets.

Poland’s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party won the 2015 election partly with promises to sustain the traditional coal industry. In 2016, the government banned construction of new wind farms close to dwellings and imposed new taxes on investors that made many wind farms loss-making.

Planned RET Amendments in Poland

On 28 June 2017, an official bill amending the Renewable Energy Sources Act and certain other acts (including the Act on Wind Farm Investments), was published on the website of the Government Centre for Legislation. One of the material amendments provided by the draft regards the rules of real property taxation of wind power plants.

Under the bill, the definition of a construction structure will return to the shape that was in force until 15 July 2016, which means that it will be clearly stated that only the building part of a wind power plant is a construction structure. Secondly, the appendix to the Building Law Act will clearly state that only the building part of a wind power plant is a building object (a construction structure is one of the building objects). Last, but not least, the Act on Wind Farm Investments will clearly indicate that a wind power plant consists of a building (a mast and foundation) and a technical part. Taking into account the planned amendments, according the justification of the bill, only the building part of a wind power plant will be subject to real property taxation.

Poland to Miss 2020 EU Renewable Energy Target

Poland is set to miss its target of covering up to 15% of energy demand with renewables by 2020. 

Under the most favorable scenario provided by a report released by local consultancy Ecofys, new additions for solar may reach 695 GWh, while the country is expected to reach a target of only 13.8% by the end of the decade.

Poland has a reputation as Europe’s most polluting country, still relying massively on coal power production and not supporting the development of renewable energies. In confirmation of this, renewable energy consultancy Ecofys recently published a report in which it clearly says that Poland will miss its 2020 renewable energy target.

Poland: Act On Windfarms And Amendments To The Act On Renewable Energy Sources

On 27 June 2016 the Polish President signed a new bill introducing changes to the Act on Renewable Energy Sources ("Amending Act"). On 22 June 2016 the President signed a new Act on investments in wind power plants ("Act on Windfarms"). Both acts have been widely criticised by the renewable energy sources ("RES") industry, and on reading they suggest that the current Polish government is willing to significantly reduce support for RES.

Lower Chamber of Polish Parliament adopts an Act on Wind Turbine Investments

On May 20, 2016, the Sejm (lower chamber of the Polish Parliament) adopted an Act on wind turbine investments (the “Act”).

From the very beginning of the legislative process, i.e., from the moment when the bill of Act was submitted to the Sejm as the initiative of MPs in mid-February, it was evoking much controversy and, at the same time, it faced a definite opposition on the part of the wind farm industry.  According to the opinion voiced by the industry, the Act, if adopted in its originally proposed form, would put to a halt the development of the wind power sector and, additionally, it would have an adverse impact on the projects that are already in operation. Finally, a certain part of the postulates made by the representatives of the wind power sector was embedded in the wording of the Act that was adopted by the Sejm.  However, a considerable part of the regulations that were perceived as disadvantageous by wind power investors, was finally included in the Act.

Poland's Draft of Renewable Energy Source Act – additional amendments proposed

The draft act establishing a new regime for renewable energy sources (RES) is still being processed by Parliament (for further details please see "Anticipated changes to RES support system"). On July 22 2014 the first reading of the act took place and the draft was passed to the relevant parliamentary committee for further discussion. On September 15 2014 a public hearing on the act was held. On October 9 2014 the Ministry of the Economy submitted to the parliamentary committee a set of additional proposed amendments.

Additional requirement for grid connection agreements

Polish Government Approves Renewable Energy Bill

Poland, which generates some 90 percent of its electricity from coal plants, is seeking to increase renewable energy to at least 15 percent by 2020 in order to meet EU targets.

The Polish government approved a bill this week on long-term subsidies for renewable energy projects that aims to help meet European Union climate goals and lower electricity costs for consumers.

Polish Government Approves Renewable Energy Bill

Poland's government approved a long-awaited draft law on Tuesday that lays out new long-term subsidies for renewable energy, aiming to cut costs to consumers as well as help the coal-reliant country meet EU climate targets.

Under the draft law, which requires final approval by parliament and the president, developers and owners of new renewable installations can sell their energy at auctions for a fixed price that would be guaranteed for 15 years regardless of market prices. The proposal would also set a ceiling on the subsidy.

In Poland the New Law on Renewable Energy is Finalized

Polish Ministry of Economy finalized the draft law on renewable energy sources (RES) and sent it to the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers with the request as soon as possible to decide on this issue. According to Ukrainian Biofuel Portal pellets-wood.com, the law primarily defines the new rules of alternative energy support by the state.

The representatives of the Ministry stressed that the project is designed in accordance with the obligations for the EU climate policy, in particular with due regard to the share of renewable resources in energy production. Along with that the mechanism involves the reduction of the costs for supporting energy industry.

Renewable energy law could be adopted this month in Poland

Poland’s new renewable energy law is expected to be adopted by the government by the end of March. However, due to the EC notification process, it is not anticipated to enter into force until mid-2014. Meanwhile, mandatory certification for imported biomass has been suggested.

In the coming days, Poland’s Ministry of Economy is scheduled to present a revised bill for renewable energy funding to the Cabinet. Following the adoption of the draft law by the Cabinet – expected by the end of March – it will be sent to Parliament, where only minor changes should be made.

Poland's draft renewable bills would give greater support to large solar plants

Stanislaw Pietruszko, the head of the Photovoltaic Association of Poland (PVAP), says the country’s new renewable energy act could increase Poland’s solar capacity from 3MW to 400MW by the end of 2013.

Poland, which gets about 85% of its power from coal-fired plants, is poised to join Ukraine in offering some of Europe’s highest solar subsidies as its economy grows.

“The proposed rates are very good, higher than those in Germany,” Pietruszko says.

How good is the new Poland law?

In the interview published by wnp.pl, member of the management board at RWE Renewables Robert Macias suggests that a transitional period should be applied for the renewable energy projects which are currently being carried out in Poland. Large part of the projects had been commenced before the enactment of the new regulations on support for renewable energy sources. Many are also not likely to be completed before 1 January 2013, when the amended law on RES will come into force.

Polands heads towards Feed-in-Tariff

Poland, a country that produces 90% of its electricity with coal and once a seemingly impregnable bastion of neoliberalism in the heart of Europe, has announced that it will introduce a new law on renewable energy. The new law will introduce feed-in tariffs for the first time.

The new law, the Renewable Energy Sources Act in English, will likely not take effect until early 2013.

The announcement was made by Poland's deputy minister, Mieczyslaw Kasprzak, at a press conference 27 July 2012.

Poland to soon get a new bill on green power generation

Poles could soon be generating their own green power nationwide when a new law on power generation comes into force.

As Alicja Baczyńska reports, Poland’s rural and cityscapes could soon be peppered with petite windmills, solar panels, and turbines, once a renewable energy bill facilitating micro power generation is passed early 2013.

A DIY power generation boom may be possible with the efforts of the Economy Ministry, which seeks to do away with a legal logjam hampering the growth of the small-scale schemes.

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Poland to amend renewable bill amid wind-farm investor concern

Poland, which boosted wind-power capacity 37 percent last year, will amend a proposed renewable- energy law after investors said a December draft would hamper development of new ventures and erode wind-project finances.

The December plans, aimed at saving the government as much as 1 billion zloty ($313 million), would reduce support for onshore wind farms, boost subsidies for costlier technologies and scrap an obligation for utilities to buy fixed-rate power from renewable sources.

Poland to reverse course over new renewables law

Coal-reliant Poland will reverse course and push through a law providing guaranteed purchase prices for power generated from wind turbines, an economy ministry official said on Wednesday.

The European Union member in December presented an overhaul of its renewable support plan that sought to retract guaranteed purchase prices for renewables, a move that raised investor concern in the rapidly growing wind sector.

Industry members said the lack of a purchase guarantee and a cut in the size of state support for wind by a quarter would shrivel up financing over worries costly projects would not provide a return in the European Union nation.

Poland to up the ante on energy law

The European Commission has launched legal action against Poland after the government failed to pass a law on renewable energy.

Under EU regulations, 15 percent of Poland’s energy is to originate from sustainable sources and the law on renewable energy should have been passed by December last year.

Brussels slams Poland for lack of energy law

The European Commission has launched legal action against Poland after the government failed to pass a law on renewable energy.

Under EU regulations, 15 percent of Poland’s energy is to originate from sustainable sources and the law on renewable energy should have been passed by December last year.

“For this reason, the European Commission has initiated proceedings against Warsaw," Katerina Rybarova, press spokesperson for the European Commissioner for Energy has told the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily.