Volume: 2, 2023
2nd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: E004
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL2.E004
Published online: 19 April 2023
ICDSUPL, 2, E004 (2023)
Dynamics of RES development in Poland and support mechanisms for this sector
Viola Vambol1,2*, Alina Kowalczyk-Juśko1, Angelika Banaś1,3
1 Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
2 Department of Applied Ecology and Nature Management, National University «Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic», Pershotravneva Avenue 24, 36011 Poltava, Ukraine
3 National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, Konstruktorska 3a Street, 02-673 Warsaw, Poland
* Corresponding author: angelika.banas@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
The beginning of the 21st century was also the beginning of the development of renewable energy sources (RES) in Poland. Since 2004, there has been a visible increase in the energy generated by this sector. The need to diversify energy sources, resulting from the progressive depletion of conventional sources, but also from the need to protect the atmosphere by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, has led to the creation of policies and strategies in European Union member states to halt unfavourable climate change and ensure energy independence. The article hypothesizes that legal acts: laws, regulations, as well as strategies, drive or slow down the development of renewable energy. The aim of the research was to assess the links between legal regulations and the development of RES in Poland. The basis for the research was the analysis of legal acts and statistical data from the years 2004-2022. Since 2004, Poland has seen an increase in the use of RES from 3.9 to 16.1% in 2020. Thanks to this, the country has fulfilled the obligation towards the EU, setting the minimum share of RES in 2020 at the level of 15%. During this time, various support systems emerged. These include, among others, quota support systems, the so-called certificates of origin, auction system, FIT/FIP systems (i.e. feed-in-profit/feed-in-tariff) and support programs consisting in financing projects in the form of grants and loans. The RES support mechanisms were introduced by the relevant provisions of law, and the market reacted very clearly to them. An example may be the use of solar energy by photovoltaics, which jumped up in 2018 with the entry into force of the “My Electricity” program and slowed down in 2022 with the change of the support system. Another example of the RES market’s reaction to the law is the halting of investments in wind energy after the entry into force in 2016 of the act specifying the distance of wind farms from buildings. The studies did not confirm the impact of strategic documents on the development of RES. An example is the biogas plant development strategy, which assumed the construction of 2,000 agricultural biogas plants by 2020, and only about 100 of them were built. Support through legal regulations regarding the renewable energy sector, but also financial assistance has a large impact on the size of installed capacity from RES and, consequently, the production of clean energy.
How to cite
V. Vambol, A. Kowalczyk-Juśko, A. Banaś, 2023. Dynamics of RES development in Poland and support mechanisms for this sector. In: 2nd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL2.E004