Solid Biomass in Poland

 

General

According to The Polish National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) the 15% renewable energy target will be realized by a break down into 19,1% RES-E, 17,1% RES-H&C and 11,7% RES-T. The Polish NREAP estimates that Poland will exceed its target by 0,5 percentage points. The biomass definition is corresponding to the definition consisted in 2001/77/EC Directive.

Renewable electricity and heating: solid biomass

Biomass stands for the largest share of Polish renewable energy consumption. However it is mainly biomass used in simple boilers. Vattenfall Poland estimates that biomass heating in Poland is now about 1 million houses allowing to reduce CO₂ emissions by 11 million tones.

29,1% of the Polish territory is covered by forest. However, the resources of forest biomass are considered to be exhausted and the additional spatial limitations (due to e.g. nature protected areas). This in turn decreases the possibility of forest biomass utilization, thus the energy crops will have to be wider used.

A high amount of biomass waste is created in the timber industry. According to the Institute of Wood Technology the potential of this sector amounts to 58 PJ. The pellet and briquette market in Poland is still in the stage of developing, but doing quite well. That is due to the requirements of “environmental protection as well as the increasing economic competitiveness of biomass.”¹

“Even though it is mainly common osier that is cultivated in Poland, there are also attempts to use energy crops. For example in Nowy Dwór Gdański, a plantation of Virginia Mallow was established, covering the area of 750 ha. The plantation will provide bioenergy to the currently built municipal biomass thermal power plant of power of 10-15 MW_e.”¹

In 2010 final energy consumption from heat produced from solid biomass was 179 PJ. In CHP units: 5,6 TWh of electricity and 10 PJ of heat. 1,6 PJ was produced in heat only centralized boilers.

Because the co-firing of forest residues has become the cheapest option to produce green electricity and due to the fact that all biomass was practically swept away from the market, obligatory admixtures of agricultural residues and energy crops were introduced if the co-firing option is used.

The support system for biomass electricity in Poland is based on the quota system of the tradable certificates of origin (green certificates). Additionaly than is a scheme for high efficiency co-generation, and a system of grant subsidies submitted for the investment and construction phase can be obtained. Last amendments of the Energy Law of 2010 have introduced the conditions for obtaining additional support for high efficiency cogeneration. Installations can obtain green and yellow certificates of origin from cogeneration according to the installed capacity plants. The total support (electricity price (195 PLN/MWh) + green certificates (275 PLN/MWh) + cogeneration certificates (125 PLN/MWh) can amount to 595 PLN/MWh (133 EUR/MWh) for plants below 1 MWe and 470 PLN/MWh (105 EUR/MWh) for plants above 1 MWe. However, the calculation is more complicated because the prices are not fixed and they fluctuate on the market, the CHP bounus is dependent on the heat used.

An important component of the support including indicative price is also a package of investment grants under the Operational Infrastructure and Environment Programme, which in accordance with the timetable of the current EU budget should be exhausted in 2013 (in reality already in 2011).

Future programme changes expected

According to NREAP the expected installed biomass electric capacity in Poland is going to grow from 6 TWh to 10 TWh in 2015 and 10,2 TWh in 2020. NREAP estimate the level of electricity production from solid biomass at 770 ktoe in 2015 and 877 ktoe in 2020.

85% of the total RES primary energy comes from biomass but its role will gradually decrease as the other sources develop. However, solid biomass will remain the main source of renewable heat until 2020.

In December 2011 the Minister of Economy presented the first draft of new Renewable Energy Sources Act. According to earlier statements of politicians and officials of ministries, the support for co-firing and combustion of biomass in dedicated installations with high ratings will be limited. The expensive support certificates should be directed primarily where it is needed most. The estimated support level for biomass contained in RES Act shall amount 343 PLN/MWh (77 EUR/MWh) for plants above 5MW_e capacity and 329PLN/MWh (74 EUR/MWh) for co-firing. Predicted correction factor for biomass power plant equipped with CHP unit below 10MW_e is 1,25 and for plants above 10 MW_e is 0,95.

Sources

¹ Igliński, B. 2011. Bioenergy in Poland. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. No 15 (2011). P. 2999-3007.

National Renewable Energy Sources Action Plan:

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/doc/national_renewable_energy_action_plan_poland_pl.pdf

Polish Energy Policy until 2030. URL: www.mg.gov.pl/.../Polish+Energy+Policy+until+2030.htm

Institute for Renewable Energy, Poland.

www.ieo.pl

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Last update: January 2012

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