According to data by Statistics Poland published for 2020, the share of energy from renewable sources in the gross final energy consumption accounted for 16.13%. Thus, Poland managed to achieve the 15% target established in the 2009 RED Directive.

“Our success stems from numerous activities taken throughout the last six years by the Government, including by the Ministry of Climate and Environment, which aimed at ensuring dynamic development of the renewable energy sources and accelerating the climate and energy transformation”

– noted the Head of the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

According to Minister Moskwa, the Polish Government continues to support the citizens converting to the “green side of the force”.

“The revolution on the RES market opened the unexpected opportunities in terms of production of cheap and clean energy – in particular distributed production – and Poland makes the most of this opportunity. We build on involvement of the society and therefore mobilise the private capital. Our priority programme on photovoltaic micro-installation – “My Electricity” – is one of the most extensive programmes in Europe and delivered a great success in the form of PV installation boom in the Polish houses”

– said the Minister.

Minister Moskwa believes that the last years have been the period of significant changes to the energy market in Poland and growing share of energy produced from the renewable sources.

“The legislative changes implemented in this period boosted the development of the large-scale and civic energy sector – initiating a boom in the number of photovoltaic micro-installations. We’ve also established the stable framework for development of the offshore wind energy sector”

– she noted.

As emphasized by the Head of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the RES investments translate into access to cheap energy and better air quality.

“Our “My Electricity”, “Clean Air”, “Energy Plus” or “My Heat” programmes aiming among others to support the individual energy sources enable the Poles to lower their electricity bills and to breathe cleaner air. The aid for purchase of PV installations reaches even PLN 3000. During three editions of the “My Electricity” programme, we allocated more than PLN 1.8 billion for this measure and received more than 440 thousand applications” 

– explained the Minister.

Apart from wind energy industry, the photovoltaic sector belongs to the most rapidly developing RES technology in Poland. As of the end of October 2021, its total installed capacity amounted to 6 687 MW compared to only 108 MW in 2015. Vast majority of this capacity derives from PV micro-installations and exceeded 5 000 MW.

“At present, we have more than 744 thousand of prosumers. This success would be impossible without the “My Electricity” programme enjoying tremendous popularity among the Poles. This is why we intend to launch its fourth edition as early as in the !Q 2022. Apart from the PV installations, the programme will support purchase of energy and heat storage solutions and energy management systems”

– she added.

Minister Moskwa pointed also out at the implementation of the net billing system enabling the prosumers to save even PLN 1.7 thousand on their electricity bills.

“We create the conditions for unlimited development of the civic energy sector to enable the maximum number of the Poles to become the prosumers. Implementation of the billing scheme, so called net-billing that will apply to the prosumers connected to the grid after 1 April 2020 and to the collective and virtual prosumer institutions, will give access to cheap energy from the renewable sources to the millions of Poles”

– she stated.

The Minister emphasized however that RES are not only photovoltaics – Poland supports many industries i.e. heat pumps, agricultural biogas plants or offshore.

“Within the last five years, the number of installed heat pumps increased more than three times. We recorded nearly 60 thousand heat pumps in 2015, while in 2020 this number reached 185 thousand. We should also mention the dynamically developing sector of agricultural biogas plants, demonstrating the growth from 78 in 2015 to 126 as of November 2021.”

– she informed.

Minister Anna Moskwa pointed also out at the investment in transmission infrastructure and the National Electric Power System.

“In 2015, when we implemented the power supply levels, the exchange reached the maximum value of 800-900 MW available for import during the peak demand. Today, the exchange at the level exceeding 2000-3000 MW is nothing unusual and is first and foremost the effect of the investments in transmission grids”

– she explained.

“The total spending for investment by 2021 exceeded PLN 9.4 billion. We are going to face further expenditure soon. These will allow us to increase the reliability of transmission infrastructure and connection of the new production sources and also to trade with the other states. In general, in 2016-2020 Poland invested PLN 27.7 billion in development and modernisation of the domestic energy power system”

– said the Minister.

The Head of the Minister of Climate and Environment noted also the fact of structured cooperation with the RES sector stakeholders.

“Yesterday, we managed to sign the fourth sectoral agreement made by the Government with the representatives of the widely understood energy sector on the initiative of the Ministry of Climate and Environment. This is the new component of the governmental policy building upon the enhanced cooperation with the sectors pursuing towards competitiveness and strength of the Polish economy”

– explained Minister Moskwa.

“In addition, we have implemented the beneficial tax solutions in the form of the relief for thermal modernisation i.e. deducting the costs incurred for thermal modernisation of the single-family buildings from the income tax. This relief allows also for deducting the costs of photovoltaic installation”

– reminded the Minister.

According to the Ministry of Finance, nearly 207 thousand tax payers benefited from this solution in 2019. The total deduction reached PLN 3.134 billion, while the average amount deducted within the thermo-modernisation relief per tax payer was nearly PLN 15 110. In 2020, the relief was applied by 451 thousand tax payers for the amount of PLN 7.5 billion. The tax payers saved PLN 1.4 billion. This means that each tax payer deducted PLN 16 629 in average. Within the last two years, the deduction amount exceeded PLN 10.5 billion.

This solution, similarly to the Governmental Anti-Inflationary Shield will save more money in the wallets of the Poles.