This report is a translation of the Polish National RES Strategy adopted by the Council of Ministers of Poland on 5 September 2000 and approved by the Polish Parliament on 23 August 2001. It was prepared in compliance with an obligation following the resolution adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Poland on 8 July 1999 concerning the development of utilisation of energy from renewable sources.
Introduction
Reasonable utilisation of energy from renewable sources, such as energy of rivers, wind, solar radiation, geothermal energy and biomass, is one of the crucial components of sustainable development aimed to generate tangible environmental benefits and energy effects.
The growing share of renewable energy sources in the world€s fuel and energy balance contributes to better efficiency in the utilisation of energy resources and to the saving of energy resources. Other effects include improved condition of the environment due to reduction of emissions into the atmosphere and waters as well as reduced volume of waste. Support of the development of renewable energy sources is therefore becoming a more and more serious challenge to almost all countries of the world.
Interest in renewable energy sources grew considerably in the 1990s. It is estimated that since 1990 the world€s utilisation of solar energy has doubled, and that of wind has increased four times. In the coming years, further development in the utilisation of renewable energy sources is to be expected. The growth is due to the benefits to both local communities and to the environment. The former include greater energy security, creation of new jobs, promotion of regional development and last but not the least, the reduction of CO2 emissions. In particular, the need to fulfil international obligations following the Framework UN Convention concerning climate change and the Kyoto Protocol to that Convention concerning the reduction of CO2 emissions creates an great opportunity for the development of the utilisation of renewable energy sources.
Renewables may provide a substantial share in the energy balance of individual communes and even of provinces in Poland. These sources of energy may improve energy security in the region and, in particular, improve energy supplies to areas with poor energy infrastructure. Potentially, agriculture, housing and transport are the biggest consumers of energy from renewable sources. The sources offer new opportunities of job creation, especially in unemployment-stricken areas. Further, land which due to heavy contamination is unsuitable for growing edible plants may be used for biofuel crops. Examples of effective utilisation of renewable energy in Polish conditions have been presented in Annex 1 of the Report. By general consent, the development of the renewable energy sector may help resolve many environmental problems created by the energy sector in Poland as well as in other countries.
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Renewable Energy Sources & Systems
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