“The wallets and thermal comfort of up to 15 million Polish women and Poles using system heat are really threatened today. The persistent lack of a comprehensive sector development strategy may have far -reaching consequences – both economic and environmental ” – we read in a study prepared at the request of IGCP by the National Energy Responsible Agency, in which recommendations have been collected for decision -makers working on policy for the heating industry.
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“Let's let diversity”
Determining strategic framework for transformation, both at the level of such general documents as the national plan in the field of energy and climate, or Polish energy policy, as well as a separate strategy for the heating itself, is one of the main postulates, which more than 250 of the IGCP entities associated in IGCP directs to the Ministry of the Climate and the Environment (IMKIŚ). The modernization of the tariff system is to be similarly important, so that it takes more into account return on investment.
Why is adopting a strategy so important? During the press conference on June 9 in Warsaw, Małgorzata Niechępska, the president of the Ciechanów Ciechanów Power Plant, argued that the lack of clearly marked priorities for the next 15-20 years leads primarily to a sense of uncertainty.
– All decision -making risk is transferred to business management boards. It is not known whether after the acceptance of documents certain technologies or fuels will not meet with restrictions. This hinders investing; An example is biomass projects that we decided in Ciechanów – she said.
The industry representative was in favor of “admission of diversity “i.e. maintaining in domestic and EU regulations the possibility of choosing different technologies without favoring any of them. In the same spirit, ICGP speaks in its study, in which it argues with the concept of heating electrification as the most important or primary direction of industry transformation.
Avoid thermal exclusion
– (…) too rapid displacement of other, available and legally permissible solutions – such as technologies for combustion of solid, gas or biomass fuels – may threaten the stability of the entire system – convinces the Chamber. A balanced approach proposed in return is a technological mix in which cogeneration will fit (simultaneous production of heat and electric energy from gas, coal or biomass), the use of waste heat, biogas, biomethane or solar collectors, but also heat storage or overwhelming excess energy from renewable energy heat pumps and electrode boilers.
Lack of investment in heating systems (the current level of expenditure is to be more than three times smaller than the needs) threatens them to degrade, which in the opinion of the Chamber of Commerce will hit Polish heating especially in poorer recipients and less rich public institutions. I am talking about the so -called thermal exclusionwhich threatens human health and even life.
Total investment needs by 2050 for transformation of system heating, according to IGCP after the Polish Society of thermal Energy, may reach up to PLN 300 billion. Where to find this money?
One issue is the new tariff model, which may change together with the new MKIŚ regulation, while another concerns an increase in revenues from the ETS system, including the modernization fund. As Jacek Szymczak said, the heating sector should base its activities on Three pillars – funds of own enterprises, loans and loans (which is to be easier for the new tariff model) and support provided as part of public aid.
Higher subsidies = lower prices?
– The greater the subsidy, the better the prices for the final recipients and lower costs of loan interest. We want to maximize the share of funds in the form of subsidies – declared Małgorzata Niepępska.
ICGP is in favor of dispersion and diversification of heat sources, which, as part of postulated diversity, should be based on local technologies and raw materials. Distration also means greater resistance to any crises, convinces the industry organization.
To emphasize the importance of system heating, ICGP also refers to environmental considerations. Summoned estimates show that the emissions of the main air pollution from heating systems are significantly lower than from individual heat sources – more than 50 times lower with suspended dust and up to 185 times lower at benzo (a) piren.
Emission from large installations, according to data from the Energy Regulatory Office, in the years 2002-2023 decreased by almost 96 percent. (suspended dusts), over 83 percent (sulfur dioxide) and over 65 percent (nitrogen oxides).
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– In the Siekierki heat and power plant, we minimized all pollution to a minimum. Emission levels are several hundred percent today. lower than it used to be – pointed out Andrzej Gajewski, president of Orlen Termika. The speaker also talked about others except for the lack of strategy or an unfavorable model of tariff investment barriers, such as the length of issuing environmental decisions for new investments, e.g. in energy warehouses.
Additional revenues
We also talk about the future of system heating system with Krzysztof Łokaj, a manager for the development of European and Africa markets in producing, among others Wärtsilä Energy engines for power plants and heat and power plants. The expert focuses on cogeneration, whose role will not be disturbed by even gradual departure from natural gas.
– cogeneration units can also be powered by don -parbonized fuels; biomethane, green hydrogen, and soon green methanol or ammonia. Thanks to this, they will be able to double in the EU definitions of energy -effective heating systems; Both in terms of cogeneration and green energy – he explains.
He adds that cogeneration sources also work for the national power system and can provide him with available powers in the case of “renewable energy drought” (no generation from weather -dependent sources).
– Power plants can diversify their revenues by offering network services, taking part in the power market or simply entering the energy market. Heating is usually perceived as an industry generating costs, while thanks to these activities it can also generate additional profits. This is shown by examples from abroad, e.g. from Hungary, Denmark or Estonia – he concludes.
It also indicates the need to root heating systems in local conditions. – Where there are great conditions for the marine wind energy, e.g. in the North Sea, It is worth using surplus for the production of green hydrogen. In turn, in places with developed agricultural or forest production, and thus significant amounts of waste biomass, The solution should be biomethane. Each energy mix must be built based on what we have on the spot, and only then supplement it with import – argues Łokaj.
