The PEP2040 update is expected to provide for fuel independence from Russia

Energy sovereignty with an emphasis on independence from fuels from Russia, further diversification of supplies, a periodic increase in coal consumption – is supposed to include an update of the Polish Energy Policy by 2040 (PEP2040), whose assumptions were adopted by the government on Tuesday.

According to the information published on the NRPM website, the government updates PEP2040's assumptions to neutralise or mitigate the risks associated with potential domestic and international crises. The update is intended to be part of the main objective of energy policy, which is to guarantee energy security, while ensuring economic competitiveness and reducing the environmental impact of the energy sector.

The updated energy policy is intended to take account of energy sovereignty, which, as indicated, is a particular element in ensuring the rapid independence of the national economy from imported fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas, and derivatives such as LPG, diesel, petrol, kerosene from Russia and other countries subject to economic sanctions.

The revised policy also aims to reduce fossil fuel demand from Russia and other sanctioned countries. Poland also aims to gradually reduce the dependence of the economy on natural gas and oil, but in the next decades it is still necessary to ensure the certainty of their supply to customers.

In the perspective of 2040, approximately half of electricity production will be achieved from RES. In addition to the further development of wind and solar power, measures will be stepped up to develop the use of RES independent of atmospheric conditions, i.e. using water, biomass, biogas or earth heat.

Poland has also to improve energy efficiency, including through thermomodernisation and renovation of buildings. Support programmes for thermomodernisation, i.e. "Clean Air" will be geared to enabling the use of low temperature heat sources while maintaining the thermal comfort of the recipients.

The construction of a floating FSRU LNG terminal in the Gulf of Gdańsk with the expansion of the national network and the expansion of underground natural gas storage facilities is to be accelerated. The country will seek to replace demand for natural gas with decarbonised gases and other proven fuels, including through the development of hydrogen-based technologies, which represent a viable alternative to the use of natural gas, it is noted.

In order to reduce demand for liquid fuels, activities related to the use of alternative energy sources in transport, i.e. biocomponents in liquid fuels, biomethane, hydrogen, low-carbon synthetic fuels or electricity, will be intensified.

The investment decisions of gas power plants are to be adapted to fuel availability. In the medium term, the level of use of existing coal units may be increased. As a consequence of these changes, investment plans for new gas capacity should also be verified for the economics of production – the information states. In heating, the rate of conversion of coal units to gas will depend on the availability of raw material.

The possibility of decreasing the current rate of reduction in the extraction and use of hard coal is envisaged due to the possible need for longer than expected operation of individual existing coal units, given the potential distortions in imports of energy raw materials. In order to ensure continuity of supply, measures will be taken to maintain the readiness of coal units in accordance with their technical life time, which is longer than the economic condition.

According to the published information, the update of the PEP2040 will provide, in parallel with the implementation of the nuclear energy programme, for efforts to prospectively implement small SMR modular reactors.

In addition, the government declares its intention to negotiate changes to EU regulation and reform climate policy mechanisms. The aim is to ensure that a low-carbon and ambitious transition can be carried out, contributing to the EU's objectives, taking into account the temporary increase in the use of conventional generation capacity, without excessive costs arising from climate policy, is information.

Source: PAP