Reviewing the Situation and Prospects for Developing Small Renewable Energy Systems in Poland

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the number of small renewable energy sources (RES) power plants and the volume of generated energy in the years 2016–2020, with an outlook to year 2025. The study covered the area of Poland, including the division into provinces and different sources of renewable energy. Absolute values of electric power production and sale were presented, in addition to calculated structure indices. Moreover, the number and structure of small power plants using different renewable energy sources was determined for every Polish province. A classification of the provinces was made, where four classes were distinguished depending on the number of RES plants operating in the provinces. The research results allowed us to diagnose the current situation and make a prognosis for the future, which may translate into support for the development of particular types of installations, depending on the natural and economic characteristics of each area. The added value of the study stems from the fact that previous reports focused mainly on micro or large power plants and the time span covered data before and during the pandemic. This made it possible to assess the impact of the pandemic on the development of small renewable energy sources.

List of Issues That Require Legal Regulation as Part of the Renewable Energy Regulation in Component States of Federation

“…This can both cause inconvenience and contain the potential for deliberate abuse. An example of this inconvenience is found in [34], where the change in the legal definition of "small RES power plant" from 50 kW-500 kW to 50 kW-1 MW in Poland on 30 October 2021 received the following comment: "Some difficulties were encountered during the research, especially related to amendments of legal definitions of the facilities investigated in Poland, and the impossibility of comparing results in subsequent years." The use of external sources such as dictionaries, professional literature or established practice seems, at best, a compromise solution.…”

Bibliometric Analysis of Renewable Energy Research on the Example of the Two European Countries: Insights, Challenges, and Future Prospects

“…This highlights the compelling necessity to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels [1][2][3]. As a result, Energies 2024, 17, 176 2 of 23 renewable energy sources have become increasingly central in the energy strategies of numerous nations, with Poland and Germany being no exception [4,5]. This transformation reflects a global shift towards more sustainable and environmentally responsible energy practices [6][7][8][9].…”