Energy Transition – a Challenge for Poland

Europe needs to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources. The energy transition is one of the biggest challenges that current and future governments face. The change will be particularly hard for those regions whose economies are based on coal. A recent report from the European Commission experts focuses on the future of EU’s coal regions.

According to the researchers, Poland may loose over 40 thousand jobs by 2030 as a result of the energy transition shift. It will mostly affect the region of Silesia, a historic seat of country’s coal industry. Our power market heavily relies on fossil fuels and it is very likely the country will be hit the hardest by the upcoming transformation of the power sector.

In the European Union there are currently 128 coal mines and 207 coal-fired power plants. The coal sector employs about 237 thousand people across Europe. Most of the industry is located in Central Europe, in particular in Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. However, Poland is the sole Member State that generates more than 50 percent of its energy from coal and EU’s second-biggest coal producer. What is more, the country’s power plants are characterised by low efficiency.

In coal-dependent regions the transition away from coal is likely to cause a slowdown in GDP growth and a hike in unemployment figures. Equipment manufacturers and steel industry also will be affected. To counteract the negative effects of the energy switch, transmission strategies need to be implemented. Experts suggest solutions such as carbon capture and storage technology or reconversion of mining sites to renewable energy generation.

In 2017, the European Commission launched the “Coal regions in transition” platform to develop strategies for energy transition and easier switch to renewable energy sources in coal-dependent regions. The platform is a part of Clean energy for all Europeans initiative.