The Polish energy sector is the sixth largest in Europe. The scale of energy consumption in 1996–2015 increased from 139,593 GWh to 161,438 GWh. According to the data of Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE), electricity production in October 2020 amounted to 13,553 GWh; domestic consumption amounted to 14,798 GWh.
The Polish energy mix in 2021 is dominated by hard coal (approx. 48%) and lignite (24%). When it comes to green energy, wind installations had the highest contribution of 9%. Other renewable energy sources played a minor role of only 1%, but they are the ones that show the greatest growth dynamics. The future plan is to generate at least 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2040, by which time coal will cease to generate electricity.
Poland's 2040 energy plan
PEP2040 is a government plan for the Polish fuel and energy sector, which aims for 50% zero-emissions by 2040. It envisions building offshore wind farms and commissioning a nuclear power plant. The draft was presented in September 2020, aiming to tackle climate change, energy security, and a just transition. Poland is considering 6–9 GW of nuclear power, to be operational by 2040.
Energy statistics
Fossil fuels
Coal
In 2009 Poland produced 78 megatonnes (Mt) of hard coal and 57 Mt of brown coal. As of 2020, extraction is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive, and has become uncompetitive so reliant on government subsidies. In September 2020, the government and mining unions agreed a plan to phase out coal by 2049 which coincides with 100th anniversary of Karol Wojtyła being assigned to st. Florian's parish in Kraków, with coal used in power generation falling to negligible levels in 2032.
Coal and the environment
Coal mining has far-reaching effects on local water resources. Coal mining requires large amounts of water. Mining activities have dropped the water level of Lake Ostrowskie by almost two meters in the Kuyavia–Pomerania and the lakes in the Powidz Landscape Park. According to Poznań's University of Agriculture, the water drainage in the Kleczew brown coal mining areas has formed craters in the area. Statistics from Eurostat shows that Poland accounts for 30% of the European Union's annual consumption of coal.
Ten coal power stations in Poland and Germany account for 13 per cent of the EU’s total emissions and 25% of all emissions from the power sector in 2022.
Coal and the public
In April 2008, five thousand people demonstrated in Kruszwica to protect cultural heritage and the nature reserve at Lake Gopło. This was the first protest of its kind in the country's history. Gopło Millennium Park (Nadgoplański Park Tysiąclecia) is protected by the European Union's Natura 2000 program and includes a major bird sanctuary. The Tomisławice opencast mine (less than 10 kilometers away from the Kruszwica mine) was due to open in 2009.
In 2021 demonstrations took place with coal workers protesting against the EU plans to close coal as an energy source and later to close the Turow brown coal mine.
Coal and business
The Bełchatów Power Station in the Łódź region supplies almost 20% of Poland's energy. It is the largest brown coal power plant in Europe and is the world's most polluting power plant.
Gas
During the April 2022 Russia–European Union gas dispute, Russia cut off natural gas deliveries to Poland after demanding to be paid in Russian rubles during currency disruptions caused by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In September 2022 a gas pipeline connecting Poland with Denmark, allowing gas from Norway to pass through to Poland was commissioned.
Electricity
In 2018 48% of electricity produced in Poland came from hard coal, 29% from brown coal, 13% from renewable sources (mostly wind power) and 7% from natural gas. In parts of 2020, electricity costs in Poland were the highest in Europe.
Renewable energy
Renewable energy includes wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy sources.
A binding European Union resolution, the Renewable Energy Directive 2009, stipulates a 15% renewable energy target for total energy use in Poland by 2020. According to the Polish National Renewable Energy Action Plan, the 2020 figure is set to exceed this target by 0.5% at 15.5% of overall energy use, broken down as 19.1% of total electricity consumption, 17% in the heating and cooling sector, and 10.1% in the transport sector.
As of 2014–2015 renewable energy provided around 10% of total primary energy supply in Poland as well as around 13% of total electricity generation.