Droughts and floods that have simultaneously affected Poland in recent weeks are a clear signal that energy transformation cannot wait, a major renewable energy group in Poland has said. 

In 2023 alone, the absence of effective action on climate has cost Poland at least 260 billion Polish zloty (about 60 billion euros), according to the Polish Wind Energy Association. The transition to a low-emission economy, on the other hand, will require investments of 158 billion Polish zloty (36.7 billion euros) annually in the years 2026-2030, the group said.

One of the steps to overcome the climate crisis is to accelerate the process of decarbonisation of the entire Polish economy by switching to renewable energy sources, but there is still no wind farm law in Poland which would allow for increased development of cheap and green energy. 

“The time has come to accelerate the transition to renewable energy,” says Janusz Gajowiecki, president of PWEA. “For years, successive governments have consistently ignored the need for change, putting the energy transformation on the shelf, at best. It is now unfolding without control,” write scientists in their latest letter to the government.   

The year 2023 was a record year for the Polish energy sector with the share of coal in the energy mix falling to the lowest level in history of 60.5 per cent – 10 percentage points less than a year earlier. However, it remains the main source of energy production in the country, experts said. 

Energy production from renewable energy sources reached 27 per cent for the first time. Energy generation from natural gas also increased – by over 40 per cent, but more still needs to be done, renewables experts argue. 

“Tragedies such as those currently befalling our region dramatically expose the weakness of economies that are largely dependent on fossil fuels,” said Janusz Gajowiecki, president of the Polish Wind Energy Association. “Renewable energy is a strategic choice that will provide residents and communities with access to cheap energy, jobs, economic growth and a resilient environment.”