Poland’s new coalition government has declared a new opening in energy policy and offers much more ambitious transition goals, although the details of which are yet to be worked out. One of the first tasks of the new government is to propose a series of climate and energy strategies. Polarised opinions, attempts at disinformation, and political tension will make creating these guiding documents quite difficult. The preparation of the country's new energy and climate policy should be underpinned by sound analyses to justify the choices made. A council composed of the country's leading experts should be established to be a substantive voice in the process.

To lead an effective energy transition, you need not only regulations, but also good, modern computing tools. The world is changing rapidly - the winner will be the one who is able to plan strategically, but also react to changes and minimize costs. In order to meet these challenges, the Energy Forum, together with Enercode, has taken on the task of building an open energy model that will support the planning of the modernization of the Polish energy sector, taking into account the acceleration of the development of renewable energy sources.  

Household electricity prices in recent months bore little relation to real production costs, were kept artificially low and treated as an interface with voters. State intervention in this area was necessary in 2022 due to unprecedented price increases on the markets. If the price-freezing mechanisms expire as planned at the end of 2023, electricity prices for households could rise by up to 68% in January. The impact of price spikes should be mitigated. We are proposing a package of solutions: an energy voucher, support for distribution tariffs, additional money for improving the energy efficiency of buildings and a special tariff for heating buildings with electricity.

The National Power System (NPS) will face new challenges. These include the uninterrupted supply of energy to consumers when the oldest and most emission-intensive generating units are phased out, but also the efficient use of variable RES sources. District heating may be the key to solving NPS problems. In peak demand of the NPS, additional energy can be provided by cogeneration units, in times of surplus energy in the system - it can be absorbed by electric boilers producing cheap heat. The operation of CHP units can also improve the performance of electricity grids.

If Poland does not come to an agreement on the NRP in the coming months - it will be too late for sensible spending of the money available to the country. By the end of June, the Polish government may present to the European Commission changes to the spending plan for the National Recovery Plan - completed with investments to increase resilience to the energy crisis. Consultations with the EC are just starting. This is the last bell for Poland to reach for loans and grants under the the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the REPowerEU plan. How to change the Polish NRP to make it a practical response to the energy crisis?

The upcoming winter will be difficult for many Polish households due to high costs of heat and electricity. In the latest report by Forum Energii, more than 30 concrete measures are listed. They can be implemented easily and at a low (or even none) cost before the heating season. This will reduce bills and improve the country's energy security.  

With one year delay the national Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) is entering Poland. So far, the discussion around the RRP has focused primarily on money. Meanwhile – and this is particularly evident in the area of energy transition – the RRP is an instrument that has mobilised the Polish government to work out the necessary reforms, involving an in-depth analysis of challenges ahead, assessment of specific solutions, and necessary legal changes, all within specific timeframe. Investment support – although crucial – plays a secondary role in accelerating the implementation of reforms.  

How to prepare households for an energy war with Russia? Gazprom is suspending gas supplies to Poland under the Yamal contract. This is no great surprise. At the end of this year, Poland was going to give up buying Russian gas anyway. Physically, there is unlikely to be a shortage of gas, but Poland is entering a period of high prices, which will limit the use of this raw material. The role of the state should be to wisely support society in smoothly passing through the crisis. Without reducing demand in sectors where it is possible, this will be difficult.

A new approach to heating is needed in Poland. It is currently a neglected area where the necessary changes and modernisation have been postponed for years. As a result, every winter we have the most polluted air in the European Union and the Polish district heating system is on the verge of collapse. The costs and scale of the investments needed are enormous, but further delays will lead to an even higher prices.

In recent months, rising energy prices have caused panic among policymakers. Gas and coal prices on world markets are at record highs, and crude oil is also becoming more expensive. In addition, Poland has become one of the EU countries most dependent on fossil fuel imports.