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Purpose: The purpose of the article is to present the current situation in the energy sector in Poland, with particular emphasis on the role of renewable energy sources (RES), and to assess the impact of these investments on the future of the energy sector in Poland. Design/methodology/approach: Secondary research was conducted to characterize the energy market in Poland. Documents from four leading electric power producers in Poland were examined. Findings: Despite the fact that Polish energy sector still heavily relies on coal, the future of the Polish energy sector appears to be closely linked to the development of RES. Leading companies operating in the Polish energy sector have adopted strategies involving significant investments in RES. Research limitations/implications: This study focuses on the power sector and does not take into account investments in RES made by households. Therefore, future research could focus on the energy transition of households in particular, identifying the determinants and constraints of this transition. Practical implications: This paper shows how legal regulations, including CO2 emission restrictions and international commitments, affect the current situation of the Polish energy market and shape its development. These regulations also point out the need to accelerate the country's energy transition in order to increase energy security through diversification of energy sources. Social implications: Large-scale investments in renewable energy sources will contribute to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, thus, they will have positive effect on the environment. Originality/value: The issue of energy transition is addressed from both a practical and social point of view. The analysis conducted uses the most recent data, thereby providing up-to-date knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green transition is a challenge for the Polish economy and energy sector. In this paper, the expert method of analysis was applied and findings revealed that the challenges and prerequisites for an effective transformation of the power sector mainly include technical, technological and organizational issues of energy production and use. The provision of electricity at competitive prices and with a low carbon footprint, for individual consumers and industry, is a prerequisite for maintaining the well-being of the population and ensuring the competitiveness of domestically produced goods. The ambitious climate policy goals of the European Union require immediate action and call for radical changes in the Polish energy sector; in the coming years, it must drastically reduce the amount of energy produced from fossil fuels and replace it with so-called green energy from renewable sources. The main purpose of this article was to highlight the need to modify Poland's energy policy until 2040 in order to make it more consistent with the ambitious climate goals of the European Union. This article also shows that Poland's energy transition must include a shift from fossil fuels to renewables, while ensuring that energy security is stabilized by the current energy and generation resources. To this end, we discuss the issues of creating reserves in the national energy system for the entire period of Poland's energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]