Polish Grids 2040 – Ready for 90 GW of Renewables

Poland's energy sector is entering a phase of rapid transformation. The installed capacity of renewable energy sources (RES) has surpassed 30 GW, with renewable electricity generation reaching a record 30% in 2024. In the coming years, the role of solar power, onshore wind, and offshore wind is expected to grow rapidly. Improving the conditions for renewable energy development is a critical step toward lowering energy prices in Poland and maintaining industrial competitiveness. 

According to the latest draft of the National Energy and Climate Plan, installed renewable capacity should reach 57 GW by 2030 and exceed 90 GW by 2040. To meet the needs of the energy system and consumers, Poland's network development model requires urgent changes.

The new report by Forum Energii, titled “Polish Grids 2040,” outlines solutions to support further integration of renewable energy sources and energy storage into the power system. 

NOTE: The report is available only in Polish.

 

Key recommendations from Forum Energii:

 

In the “Polish Grids 2040” report, the authors emphasize the need to transition from a reactive to a proactive model of power grid development and regulatory framework to support the dynamic growth of renewable energy sources (RES).

1. Strategic Planning for Grid Development and RES Investments:

  • Develop a national energy potential map for photovoltaics and onshore and offshore wind farms.
  • Based on these maps, identify and implement areas for accelerated RES development.
  • Assess the existing grid infrastructure and identify regions where investments in new transmission lines and substations are required to enable efficient integration of new RES capacities.

2. Streamlining Regulations:

  • Reduce the time needed to issue permits for construction and grid connections of RES by digitizing the permitting process.
  • Lower costs associated with direct lines and simplify their operational rules.
  • Enable new installations sharing a single grid connection point (so-called cable pooling) to participate in RES auctions, simplify the application process for connection capacity, and allow energy storage systems to join.
  • Introduce clear and transparent criteria for evaluating technical and economic conditions for grid connection to enhance predictability and transparency in the process.

3. Connection Capacity Auctions to Improve Transparency and Efficiency:

  • Allocate available grid connection capacity competitively to projects offering the best conditions.
  • Plan grid development in advance, for example, in newly created RES zones, and allocate connection capacity in a competitive manner.

Implementing these and other recommendations is essential to ensure the smooth integration of growing RES capacities into Poland’s power system and to achieve the country’s climate and energy goals.

 

 

 

Date of publication: : 22 January 2025

Files to download

Report Report
Authors:

Tobiasz Adamczewski – Forum Energii
Przemysław Kałek-Radzikowski, Szubilska i Wspólnicy sp.j.
Wojciech Kukuła – Fundacja ClientEarth 
Monika Morawiecka – Regulatory Assistance Project
Wojciech Modzelewski – Fundacja ClientEarth