In the energy transformation process, until nuclear capacity is launched, Poland should maintain at least several gigawatts of energy production from coal as a safe source stabilizing the system – said Dominik Kolorz, head of the Silesian-Dąbrowa Solidarity movement, on Tuesday.
Kolorz participated on Tuesday in the conference “Poland Next Step. Development. Atomic. Coal – Strong 2025” organized in Zabrze. In the discussion during the opening panel, he assessed, among others, that one of the most difficult issues related to the transformation processes resulting from the Green Deal policy is reaching human consciousness.
He cited the example of the situation of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa, which – as he assessed – could be assumed to have nothing to do with climate policy. However, he recalled that JSW is one of the elements of the supply chain, among others. to the Polish steel industry.
– The Polish steel industry is burdened with colossal para-taxes, just as Polish energy is burdened with colossal para-taxes. The most expensive operation in the world – even without human costs – means that not only the price of coking coal, as some say, makes this company in a very difficult situation – said a trade unionist.
He noted that for almost two decades, Solidarity has been arguing that all heavy industry sectors are in a very difficult situation due to high energy prices through the imposed ETS tax.
– Generally speaking, transformation processes are detached from reality. The climate policy pushed by the European Union is a road to nowhere. The EU has completely lost its competitiveness in any field of the economy, he emphasized.
He also emphasized that it is difficult to use – especially from the perspective of Silesia – the notion that the transformation taking place there is just. – Especially over the last two or three years, we have been receiving regular signals about how many jobs we are losing in all industrial branches – he said, referring to the decision of ArcelorMittal Poland announced on Tuesday to end production by Huta Królewska in Chorzów.
– This is primarily related to climate policy, because the Polish steel industry, operating largely in Silesia, has probably the most expensive energy in the world. The same thing happens in the automotive, mining and energy industries, he argued
Referring to the threats related to the safety and emission of gas fuel, which is to be treated in Poland as the so-called transitional fuel reminded that the social agreement for the hard coal mining industry of 2021 included provisions that coal was to be the transitional fuel for nuclear energy.
– That's why we should have at least these few gigawatts of energy in coal – firstly as a stabilizer, and secondly as something that is our energy, our energy source – said the head of the Silesian-Dąbrowa Solidarity movement.
Przemysław Zbierowski, professor of the University of Economics in Katowice, asked in the same discussion who benefits from the Green Deal, pointed out, among others, on the issue of developing particularly energy-intensive artificial intelligence – with energy five times cheaper than Poland in China, or three times cheaper in the United States.
– Taking into account these enormous energy needs, not only of artificial intelligence, but of industry in general, mainly benefits China, as well as the Americans, who are now trying to reindustrialize their economy. (…) I call it an exodus, there will be an exodus of industry from the European Union, and in particular from Poland, where energy is also exceptionally expensive compared to the European Union – he said.
Zbierowski also pointed out the importance of individual choices, which often support this tendency. – Look how many Chinese cars have already appeared on our roads. We prefer to buy these cars despite the relatively high customs duty. They are still very attractive in price, and it is as if each of us had a hand in this exodus of industry from the European Union – said the scientist.
The president of EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, Sławomir Wołyniec, mentioned the example of this plant, which he became the owner of in 2024. As he reported, after conducting a legal analysis, it turned out that the partial non-settlement and partial settlement after the deadline for emission rights for 2020 was not the fault of the heat and power plant, but the fault of the tariffs imposed by the Energy Regulatory Office, which were insufficient to cover current costs.
– This is not an isolated problem, but a problem that concerns the entire cogeneration in Poland. (…) District heating in Poland is particularly important because the total power produced by district heating is almost twice as large as the power sector itself producing electricity. Over 50% of people in Poland use system heat. society. This is something very important, said Wołyniec.
The president of EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie added that Poland has a unique heating system in the EU and should therefore be treated on special terms.
The organizers of the conference “Poland Next Step. Development. Atom. Coal – Dobitnie 2025” were the Dobitnie Media company, the management board of the Silesia-Dąbrowa region Solidarności and the EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie company. (PAP)
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