Last weekend (January 29-30, 2022), Polish windmills generated a total of 238.2 GWh of electricity, which was almost 35% of daily net electricity production in Poland.

On Saturday, January 29, the wind turbines operated at times with a capacity of 6,700 MW which stands for 35% of Poland’s energy needs. Converting it into households, it can be concluded that all Polish houses were using green energy.

In January this year, wind energy set new records in terms of electricity production. Due to favorable weather conditions (the whole of January was record-breaking windy) over 2.5 TWh of energy was generated. Such a large production means that the wind energy worked on average with a capacity of nearly 3,500 MW, i.e. with nearly 50% of productivity.

Janusz Gajowiecki, president of the Polish Wind Energy Association informs that onshore windmills generated a third of the national electricity demand, which shows their growing role in Poland’s energy mix. Unfortunately, the renewable energy sector in Poland does not use its potential.

PWEA President emphasized that current investments in onshore wind energy are the projects started before the introduction of the 10H rule, i.e. before the entry into force of the 2016 wind farm investment law, which drastically limited the possibilities of locating new windmills.

Janusz Gajowiecki believes that without easing the 10H rule this year, Poland, consumers and the economy will have huge problems. Uncontrolled price increases can only be stopped by the construction of new capacities in onshore wind energy.

The Polish government is planning to modify the 10H rule that has been in force for over five years, which determines the minimum distance between wind turbines and buildings, forbidding locating a farm closer than within a distance of 10 times the height of the windmill.

The draft of new solutions is awaiting approval by the government. It is to be submitted to the Sejm by the end of March.

Adrian Andrzejewski