Poland

Overall assessment

The Polish REPowerEU chapter foresees various forms of support for energy communities.

> Reform G1.1.1 Encouraging the development of local energy communities: "The reform shall consist of performing an analysis to identify regulatory and administrative bottlenecks for the development of energy communities. In particular, the analysis shall include a policy gap assessment between national and EU regulatory framework, as well as identify barriers hindering the development of these communities and originating from (i) the definition of energy communities, (ii) the administrative procedures for establishing and operating energy communities and (iii) the duties, practices and roles of system operators. The analysis shall also develop policy recommendations with the aim of establishing an enabling, simple and comprehensive framework for energy communities." The reform is expected to be implemented by 30 June 2024.

> Investment "G1.1.2 Renewable energy sources’ installations implemented by energy communities, including a scaled-up part": The pre-investment part shall support various measures to help energy communities prepare a solid and sustainable business model. Specifically, it "shall support, inter alia, local energy market development strategies; analyses of local energy demand and supply; inventories of local energy resources (infrastructures) and their potential (such as capacity to provide energy connections); feasibility studies, business plans, due diligence documents; technical documentation and construction projects." The investment part shall cover technologies for renewable energy production and "associated renewable energy infrastructure (such as network components and meters); energy storage facilities and IT software for energy community management and energy optimisation."

Calls call for proposals (separate for the pre-investment and investment
parts) were launched under Investment G1.1.2 (then marked B2.2.2 in the “old” recovery plan) in Q4 2023.

The allocation for energy communities has increased compared to the previous version. The pre-investment support will now be accessible to 200 energy communities, and the investment support will benefit 20 energy communities instead of the previous 10. Considering the country’s size, and associated potential of citizen participation in energy communities, this is an unambitious target. A draft revision of the Polish National Energy and Climate Plan, released in March 2024, estimated the number of operating energy communities in 2030 at 300. The chapter also outlines new investments aimed at modernizing rural power grid infrastructure.

Worryingly, Poland is amongst a small minority of countries using REPowerEU funds to support fossil fuels. The updated NRRP consists of EUR 630 million euros for fossil fuel investments, specifically the Gdańsk and Gustorzyn gas pipeline.

The consultations for the update of the NRRP were somewhat transparent, involving members of the monitoring committee, and on 27 March 2023, an expert roundtable took place.