Infrastruktura - Środowisko - Energia
Dodatek lobbingowy do "RZECZPOSPOLITEJ".
9 września 2008 r.

po polsku

Poland's energy strategy

Waldemar Pawlak,
deputy prime minister, minister of economy

Security of Poland's energy system is a priority task not only for the minister of economy but the entire government. Growing prices of energy, oil and gas make us present a new energy strategy for Poland. We want the strategy to achieve three main goals: energy security, competitiveness of the economy and protection of the environment against negative impact of the sector. The goals are equivalent to and cohesive with the EU energy policies. In the Ministry of Economy we have developed major assumptions for the draft and distributed it for social consultation. We want all the stakeholders to comment on our proposals. A final document will be presented by the end of 2008.

In the new "Poland's energy policy by 2030" we want to focus on domestic energy resources that we can exploit over the next 200 years. We should remember that Poland's power industry is based on coal. Coal accounts for 60% of our energy balance. The next 20% is covered by oil, we produce 12% of energy from gas and 8% comes from renewable sources. Domestic coal deposits make us independent of imports. Therefore we should use them better. Here I mean clean coal technologies, including coal gasification and liquefaction. We are also taking steps to build in Poland two experimental power plants with CCS (carbon, capture and storage) installations to capture and store carbon dioxide. We want to promote clean coal technologies and consume less oil and gas in effect.

However, abundant coal resources do not solve all our problems. We need new power units to cover the growing demand of the dynamically developing economy. Unfortunately, in result of long-term investment inactivity of the previous governments, a majority of Polish power plant has reached retirement age and requires major overhauls. Also the transmission network has a high failure rate. We estimate that by 2025 commissioning of new power generation units will require almost EUR 50 billion. To solve the problem we will apply the owner policy of the State in relation to the four power groups, consolidated within the "Program for power generation industry".
Another major item of the new policy is energy efficiency. We propose that the relevant activities be focused in three areas: reduction of energy consumption, improved generation efficiency and reduction of losses in transmission and distribution. We intend to introduce new regulations that will contribute to achieving the objectives as well as drafting a list of factors favouring efficiency for the entire economy.

We devote much attention to the development of generation sources based on biomass, biogas and wind energy. Apart from unquestionable ecological benefits, this also creates conditions for development of fragmented power generation, based on renewable energy sources. This is cheaper and inexhaustible energy. The share of renewable energy in Poland energy balance, as proposed by the European Commission in January 2008, is to be 15% in 2020. We will encourage manufacturers to use renewable energy sources and high efficient co-generation and promote technologies reducing emissions of pollutants.

Over the next dozen or so years, our energy balance may be also complemented with nuclear energy. In accordance with recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the ministry of economy has commenced preparatory works with an aim of taking a decision on constructing a nuclear power plant in Poland. An open dialogue with the society on the subject will be very important. When developing the infrastructure required for nuclear energy generation in Poland, we plan to draw on the experience of such countries as France, the USA or Japan.
The main objectives of our energy policy are clearly set: more clean coal technologies, more renewable energy sources, less oil and gas, and in the next dozen or so years - nuclear power generation. In order to achieve the objectives, over the next few years the ministry will have to take many major decisions, appropriately select the directions and instruments and solve numerous dilemmas now facing Poland's power generation industry. I trust that working together with the sector we will be able to achieve the planned objectives.

Draft "Poland's energy policy - Strategy by 2030" can be found at www.mg.gov.pl