Today, we will take a look at the potential of wind farms in Poland. Wind is one of the cleanest and cheapest sources of renewable energy. In Poland, where over 70% of electricity comes from coal, the development of wind farms could be a key step toward a green transition and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Wind farms are groups of wind power plants that use wind energy to generate electricity. How great is the wind energy potential in Poland, and what are the benefits of building wind farms?
Potential to Install Over 50 GW of Wind Power by 2050
According to a report by the Polish Wind Energy Association (PWEA), Poland has the potential to install over 50 GW of wind power onshore and offshore by 2050. This means that wind could cover over 40% of the country’s electricity demand. Currently, Poland has around 6 GW of onshore wind capacity and plans to build another 11 GW offshore by 2030. This makes Poland one of the leaders in wind energy development in the region.
Benefits of Building Wind Farms on Different Levels
The Construction of Wind Farms brings many benefits for the economy, environment, and society. First of all, wind farms are a source of cheap and stable energy that is not dependent on fossil fuel prices. According to PWEA:
the cost of generating wind energy onshore is about 200 PLN/MWh,
offshore about 300 PLN/MWh,
while the cost of coal-based energy is about 350 PLN/MWh.
Secondly, wind farms help reduce CO₂ emissions and other pollutants that negatively affect human health and the climate. According to PWEA, in 2019, onshore wind farms avoided over 14 million tons of CO₂ emissions, which equals the annual emissions of over 7 million passenger cars.
Potential to Create Many New Jobs
Thirdly, wind farms create new jobs and income for local communities. According to PWEA, in 2019, the wind energy sector employed over 12,000 people, and by 2030 it could create over 77,000 new jobs. Additionally, wind farms pay local taxes and fees that can be used for the development of infrastructure, education, culture, and environmental protection.
The Vast Potential of Wind Farms in Poland – Summary
Wind farms are therefore an important element in building renewable energy sources (RES) in Poland, with the goal to increase the share of renewable energy to 23% by 2030 and to 50% by 2050. To achieve this, appropriate policy and regulation are needed to support investment and social acceptance of wind farms. Some of the challenges facing the industry include legal restrictions, bureaucracy, social resistance, and lack of grid infrastructure.
That’s why dialogue and cooperation between all stakeholders are necessary, including the government, local authorities, investors, operators, NGOs, and residents. Only this way can we harness the full potential of the energy in the wind.
