The technical lift ride to the top of the wind farm, which we visited with the Deputy Minister of Climate, takes seven minutes. And the new government is already taking eight months to prepare the law that will allow for more wind farms. And it will take some time, but the Ministry of Climate and Environment wants the law to be ready this year and to come into force at the beginning of next year. The submission of the draft for public consultation was announced by the deputy head of the ministry, Miłosz Motyka, at a press conference at the wind farm near Piotrków Trybunalski.
– The potential of green energy is currently untapped. And the result is, among other things, high electricity bills – said Motyka. – It is a necessity for us, not only because of the economic calculation, but also the quality of life, the environment, clean air and safety – he added.
When exactly can we expect changes to the wind farm act? – We are at the stage of inter-ministerial consultations, after the Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers. In September, the bill will be subject to public consultations and in the autumn it will be possible to adopt the bill in parliament. – announced Motyka. Even if this happens, its fate will ultimately depend on Andrzej Duda and whether he signs the act. – I believe that the act will receive the president's signature. It is hard to imagine that someone in Poland would want to block the energy transformation – assessed the deputy minister. – We want the act to enter into force in the new year – he added.
Key 500 meters
The act prepared by the government is to facilitate and accelerate the investment process, among other things. But its main element is changing the minimum distance of wind turbines from buildings. At the beginning of its rule, PiS changed this distance from 500 meters to 10 times the height of the wind turbines, which in practice is even 1-2 kilometers. This excluded more than 99.7 percent of Poland's surface in the possibility of building wind turbines. Last year, the PiS government wanted to return to the distance of 500 meters, but at the last minute in the Sejm it was changed to 700 meters. This not only excluded a large part of the areas from the possibility of building wind turbines, but also derailed the activities of investors who were preparing for the 500 meters announced by the government.
The KO – Third Way – Left coalition firmly promised to “liberate the windmills”, but the first attempt was made in December last year ended in an image failure. And since then, work on the bill has dragged on for months. On the one hand, the industry is pleased that the government is moving in this direction, but on the other hand, it is frustrated that the work is taking so long. Because the change – from its perspective – is completely uncontroversial and very much needed.
– Today we have wind turbines with a total capacity of about 10 gigawatts. We estimate that if the distance changes from 700 to 500 meters, by 2040 we can have as much as 41 gigawatts – said Janusz Gajowiecki, president of the Polish Wind Energy Association. These 10 gigawatts of installed capacity allow us to cover a dozen or so percent of our electricity demand. If the potential that Gajowiecki talks about is realized, wind turbines will become one of the main sources of electricity.
The head of the industry organization drew attention to the potential benefits for the economy: PLN 260 billion in value added to GDP by 2040, over 100,000 jobs, tax revenues for municipalities.
Wind investment gap
However, before the benefits forecasted for 2040 materialize, Poland faces the threat of an investment gap in wind energy. A PiS-era law has blocked most potential investments, and some of the oldest farms are reaching the end of their useful life. The result? In March of this year, wind capacity in Poland did not increase, but decreased.
This is an increasingly pressing problem, because without new renewable sources we will remain dependent on coal for longer. This not only drives climate change. Coal energy is becoming increasingly expensive (due to, among other things, emission fees and mining costs), and this is hitting not only consumers but the entire economy. In addition, we are becoming less competitive, because companies are paying attention to their carbon footprint and do not want to invest in a place where electricity mainly comes from coal.
The government itself assumes that the number of wind turbines will increase rapidly. At the moment, their total installed capacity is a little over 10 gigawatts, and in the energy transformation plan by 2030 (and this “less ambitious” scenario) it was assumed, this number will increase to almost 16 gigawatts. Is it possible to increase the capacity of wind farms by more than half in five years?
– These numbers are ambitious, but achievable – says Janusz Gajowiecki. The head of PWEA is convinced that if the act is efficiently adopted and enters into force, we will quickly see its effects. – The new act introduces simplifications regarding permits, the investment process will be streamlined – he says and adds: – 6 or even 8 new gigawatts are within reach, but on one condition – the act must finally enter into force.
Gajowiecki emphasized that companies are taking risks and are already planning investments assuming that the law will be changed in accordance with what the government has announced. – New farms can be built within two years thanks to the fact that some processes have already started – he assured.
How big is the risk that the regulations will not come into force? Although work on the bill has been taking a long time, the government assures that it is determined to adopt it in the coming months. Fine-tuning the bill should also help avoid a mishap like the one with the attempt to change the wind farm law in December last year, when the coalition quickly withdrew from the idea. However, the signature of President Andrzej Duda (who he wasn't very friendly before wind turbines). This would mean another delay – at least half a year, until the presidential elections, provided that they are won by a person who is a greater supporter of energy transformation.
The fan doesn't interfere
The distance of wind turbines from buildings can be controversial for residents – there are various issues, from interference with the landscape to noise generated by turbines in strong winds. According to the industry, 500 meters is a distance that provides them with sufficient protection.
The Tauron wind farm, where the deputy minister's conference was held, is located near the town of Wolborz. Some of the windmills are located just over 500 meters from the nearest houses.
Mayor Andrzej Jaros assures, however, that he did not encounter any resistance from residents during the construction of this installation. – There were no protests, I did not hear from people who did not want the farm – he said. The only dispute – he recalls – concerned the neighbors, one of whom was to have a windmill on his land and get money from it, and the other – not, and was unhappy about it. After the farm was launched, one of the residents came forward and said that he could hear the turbine, but admitted that it did not bother him – says the mayor.
Now local governments see the benefit primarily in the form of tax revenue. – It's important for our budgets – says Jaros.