Energy clusters in Poland encounter barriers. The high entry threshold inhibits community energy

Creating energy clusters in Poland encounters a number of barriers hindering their development – noted experts from the Polish Economic Institute. They indicated, among others: to a high entry threshold in terms of participants' financial outlays, or insufficient preferences for creating clusters.

The Polish Economic Institute (PIE) reported in the Economic Weekly that there are currently 12 energy clusters in Poland – according to the register of the Energy Regulatory Office (URE).

The institute's experts reminded that clusters are a form of civic energyj, bringing together, among others, local government units, public institutions (e.g. schools), entrepreneurs or producers of energy from renewable energy sources, as opposed to energy cooperatives, which may consist of natural persons.

They added that such structures cover the area of ​​a maximum of five communes or one poviat, and their goal is to build energy self-sufficiency of cluster members through low-emission energy production. (electricity, heat, cooling and gas fuels) for own needs.

According to PIE representatives, there are a number of barriers hindering the development of energy clusters in Poland. “These include a high entry threshold in terms of organizational requirements and financial outlays of participants, insufficient preferences for creating clusters, e.g. exemptions from selected energy fees or an underdeveloped model of settlements in energy trade between cluster members,” they mentioned.

The authors of the study pointed out that the applicable Polish strategic documents – the National Energy and Climate Plan and PEP 2040 (Polish Energy Policy until 2040 – PAP) – provide for a growing role of local initiatives as the national energy transformation progresses.

“Both public policies assume that up to 300 energy-sustainable areas in the form of energy clusters and energy cooperatives may be created by the end of this decade.” – reported experts from PIE. They emphasized that such structures bring benefits both at the level of the energy system, as they can be used to group flexible energy sources and consumers, and at the participating entities, allowing them to reduce the costs of energy acquisition.

“The latter advantage is especially important in light of the negative impact of increasing energy prices on the competitiveness of local enterprises and municipal budgets,” they noted.

In their opinion, there may be more energy clusters in Poland, but it is difficult to specify their number due to current changes in their regulations. The census based on the previous cluster definition, according to certifications carried out in 2017 and 2018 by the Ministry of Energy, included 66 such initiatives. The authors of the study also stated that the apparent underestimation of the number of clusters is due to the fact that entry in the ERO register is not obligatory, and at the same time some of them may not fit the definition of a cluster amended in 2023. (PAP)

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