It is worth mentioning that despite of the decrease of coal generation in the energy mix, the fuel remains crucial for energy sector stabilizing the energy system and securing the energy supply in Poland as well as has a positive impact on the energy security of the European Union. The development of renewable energy will be possible with conventional energy compensating the unstable operation of renewable energy sources as climate conditions in Poland do not allow for the sustainable usage of renewable energy sources and thus, their effective utilization. The modernization of 200 MW energy generating units as well as the possible construction of 2–3 similar units will enable the stabilization of the amount of electricity in the transmission grid. The modern and modernized 200 MW energy generating units are able to maintain grid operation if needed and it will be easier to phase them out gradually as prosumer energy and energy storage technologies are being developed. Due to the held and planned general and additional generation capacity auctions for years following 2020, we are assured that despite the substantial increase of distributed generation sources in Poland’s energy mix, the electricity supply to end-users will be stable and safe.

Dla energetyki w przyszłości niezmiernie ważne jest łączenie energetyki zawodowej z energetyką rozproszoną ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem źródeł odnawialnych, przy jednoczesnym zapewnieniu stabilności dostaw energii elektrycznej do odbiorcy oraz realizacji celów polityki klimatycznej Unii Europejskiej. Przy obecnej polityce Unii Europejskiej w zakresie redukcji emisji tzw. gazów cieplarnianych i podobnych tendencji światowych, co znalazło swoje odzwierciedlenie w porozumieniu paryskim z 2015 r., jako kraj będziemy zmuszeni do znacznego zwiększenia udziału energii z OZE w krajowym bilansie energetycznym. Proces ten nie może się jednak odbić na bezpieczeństwie energetycznym oraz stabilności i ciągłości dostaw energii elektrycznej do konsumentów. Okopywanie się każdej ze stron miksu energetycznego na pewno nie rozwiąże bezpieczeństwa energetycznego Polski ani nie ułatwi rozmów na scenie Unii Europejskiej. Poszukiwanie kompromisu jest przy obecnym miksie energetycznym Polski najlepszą drogą do jego stopniowej zmiany, przy równoczesnym nieeliminowaniu żadnego źródła wytwarzania. Wiadomo, że Polska nie może być samotną wyspą energetyczną w Europie i na świecie, która coraz bardziej rozwija technologie rozproszone/odnawialne oraz technologie magazynowania energii. Bez energii z OZE i spadku udziału węgla w krajowym miksie energetycznym staniemy się importerem energii elektrycznej i zależność energetyczna Polski będzie rosła.

The progressive processes of globalization and changes in the global, European and local economy require integrated efforts aimed at solving problems related to development at the national regional and the local level involving the environment, energy sources, climate and technological transformation issues. European Union Member States are given right to create an individual Energy mix. Coal will continue to play a major role in Poland’s energy mix during the next decades. Polish coal reserves can provide energy security for decades.

Despite crude oil and natural gas growth in fuel consumption, coal will continue to be the stabilizer of energy security for the country and play an important role in Poland’s energy mix in the years to come. However, further coal consumption requires investments in low carbon technologies which are of high efficiency and in high-efficiency cogeneration.

The validity of the full utilization of cogeneration potential should be highlighted. Operating cogeneration plants are more expensive than power plants but they are more efficient and generate less carbon emissions. In accordance with the assumptions of the Energy policy of Poland, a low-carbon economy with renewable Energy sources and nuclear Energy should be supported and developed, however the obsolete coal generators should be replaced with low-carbon high-efficient ones.

Coal in Poland is an available conventional fuel providing energy security and independence of the country. Therefore, conventional energy generation should be based on coal with the optimal development of renewable energy sources. Such a solution secures the energy supply based on coal and the independence of political and economic turmoil of global markets. Polish coal reserves can secure the energy supply for decades. Coal will surely be important for energy security in the future despite the growing share of oil and gas in energy mix. The development of renewable power generation will be possible with the conventional energy generation offsetting volatile renewable power generation as Poland’s climate doesn’t allow for the stable and effective use of renewable energy sources. Considering the policy of the European Union with respect to emission reductions of greenhouse gasses and general trends as reflected in the Paris agreement in 2016, as a country we will be forced to increase renewable energy production in our energy mix. However, this process cannot impact the energy security of the country and stability and the uninterrupted supply of energy to consumers. Therefore seeking the compromise with the current energy mix in Poland is the best way to its gradual change with the simultaneous conservation of each of the sources of energy. It’s obvious that Poland can not be lonely energy island in Europe and in the world, which increasingly develops distributed energy and/ renewable technologies as well as energy storage ones. One can notice that without renewable generation and the reduction of coal’s share in country’s energy mix we will become the importer of electricity with raising energy dependence.