Search

This paper presents a thorough examination of methane capture from Polish coal mines, contextualized within the framework of the European Union's (EU) climate policy objectives. Through a strategic analysis encompassing the interior of coal mines, the surrounding environment, and the macro environment, this study elucidates the complex dynamics involved in methane emissions and capture initiatives. The key findings include a declining trend in absolute methane emissions since 2008, despite fluctuations in coal extraction volumes, and a relatively stable level of methane capture exceeding 300 million m3/year since 2014. The analysis underscores the critical role of government support, both in terms of financial incentives and streamlined regulatory processes, to facilitate the integration of methane capture technologies into coal mining operations. Collaboration through partnerships and stakeholder engagement emerges as essential for overcoming resource competition and ensuring the long-term success of methane capture projects. This paper also highlights the economic and environmental opportunities presented by methane reserves, emphasizing the importance of investment in efficient extraction technologies. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, particularly regarding the low efficiency of current de-methanation technologies. Recommendations for modernization and technological innovation are proposed to enhance methane capture efficiency and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the European Union, increasing attention is already being paid not only to the development of renewable energy sources, but also to the establishment of solutions to achieve local energy self-sufficiency while increasing the role of citizens in managing the energy they generate. This approach is expected both to have a positive impact on the environment and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and to enhance energy security—both in economic and civic terms by, i.a., combating energy poverty. The development of local energy communities promoted in the EU is supported i.a. by energy cooperatives. These contribute to the efficient harnessing of renewable energy potential in rural and urban-rural areas, and have been developing in Poland for several years now. In their previous studies, the authors of this research paper attempted to verify the generation (number, type and capacity of installed sources) and consumption (energy demand) configurations in which an energy cooperative would be a viable solution for prosumers who might establish it. However, over the past few years, the conditions for prosumers and the method of their accounting with the electricity seller have changed radically in Poland (shift from net metering to net billing). This situation has opened up space for further research and encouraged the authors to revisit the problem of analyzing the viability of establishing energy cooperatives in relation to the rules of operation of individual prosumers. This research was carried out for three scenarios, and the horizon of the analyses conducted and described extends to 2045. The comparative analysis included energy consumers without their own generation sources, prosumers with a photovoltaic generation installation covered by the net billing model, as well as a scenario involving prosumers' cooperation within an energy cooperative, which by law is settled in the net metering model. Conclusions from the research and simulations made it possible to confirm the claim that, despite changes in the rules of prosumer billing, developing energy independence in the energy community formula results in a significant reduction in the cost of purchasing electricity (even several times lower purchase costs in the timeframe analyzed) and can lead to a reduction in the payback time of investments in generation sources even by a factor of two. The results presented in this research paper open up space for further research. The outcomes allow us to assume that energy cooperatives—in the organizational and institutional model in Poland—are a good tool for reducing the phenomenon of energy poverty on a local scale. [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]

Sustainable development and the creation of smart, green cities requires cooperation in many scientific fields, including those related to ecology, mobility, or sustainable management, among others. Environmental protection is a particularly important element here. Atmospheric pollution, due to air movements, spreads over very large areas; therefore, air quality monitoring is crucial to ensure protection from harmful substances. One of the most severe sources of air pollution, accounting for as much as approximately 25% of total annual emissions within the EU, is road transport. Therefore, the European Union has set an ambitious target to reduce total emissions to 55% for cars and 50% for vans by 2030. In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become increasingly popular in many scientific fields, including environmental protection and photogrammetry. The use of UAVs to identify harmful pollutants allows them to gain an advantage over conventional detection methods, due to the possibility of remote (therefore safe for humans), faster, and area-based measurements. Given the ever-expanding scale of the use of this technology, this paper presents the possibilities of using UAVs to identify and visualize (map) pollution. The examples presented in the foreign literature, as well as our own research, in imaging the altitude distribution of air pollutants; gaseous pollutants: C6H6, HCHO, SO2; and particulate matter: PM1, PM2.5, PM10 demonstrate the validity of such measures. This research was carried out in the area of one of Poland's key A4 highways. The maps obtained allow for an area-wise and altitude-wise presentation of one of the significant air pollutants in the EU. In addition, they can be a valuable source of information for the implementation of future projects and the improvement of road infrastructure, thus contributing to the reduction of air pollution and the creation of so-called "green cities". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to examine the differences in using agricultural entrepreneurship support and how it relates to characteristics such as the agrarian structure, socioeconomic development level, and land use across the Polish territory. The analyses were carried out at the district (poviat) level which is an intermediate administrative unit. This study found that the decisions on co-financing the measures dedicated to non-agricultural economic activity heavily depended on the agrarian structure. The highest levels of activity were witnessed in districts where the agrarian structure was particularly fragmented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses one of the contemporary economy's most challenging endeavors: the energy transition. Specifically, the aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of Poland's energy transition process between 2004 and 2021. A comprehensive approach is employed to analyze Poland's energy transition process, focusing on the effectiveness of implementation through the Energy Transition Effectiveness Index. This methodology incorporates four dimensions, namely energy security, economic considerations, climate impact, and social aspects, each characterized by 22 sub-indices. The research methodology employs a two-tiered approach based on the multi-criteria decision making methodology. The EDAS method is utilized to determine the indices' values, while the CRITIC, equal weights, and statistical variance methods and Laplace's criterion are employed to ascertain sub-indices values and dimension weights, particularly useful for decision making under uncertainty. Moreover, the relationship between these indices, the Energy Transition Effectiveness Index, and Poland's Gross Domestic Product is explored. By evaluating Poland's energy transition effectiveness from 2004 to 2021 and comparing the results with other European Union countries, it becomes evident that the effectiveness varies over time. Despite encountering economic and social challenges during the energy sector's transformation, Poland exhibits positive progress in its energy transition efforts, outperforming certain European Union counterparts. However, there is a pressing need to intensify efforts to curtail emissions and enhance renewable energy utilization. The European Union's support and coordination are deemed crucial in facilitating these endeavors, alongside fostering the wider adoption of best practices among member states. The developed methodology stands as a valuable tool for ongoing evaluation of transformation processes across European Union nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of enhancing energy recovery efficiency is a key concern within the European Union's climate protection efforts. In particular, it applies to all processes and plants for the harvesting, gathering, and conversion of energy. The abandonment of fossil fuels in favour of alternative energy sources, and the increasing of energy efficiency and its recovery, is now a widely accepted direction of energy development. This study focuses on facilities that recover and process energy from municipal waste left after recycling processes, known as waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. These plants' energy recovery efficiency is governed by the R1 Formula in EU countries. This report is based on an analysis of four years of operational data from selected Polish municipal waste incinerators, supplemented by a discussion of various studies on energy recovery efficiency. The primary objective of this report is to evaluate the effectiveness of these plants in contributing to sustainable waste management and energy recovery. The main effect of the developed report is the set of results of the energy recovery efficiency factor values, determined based on the R1 formula valid in the EU legislation, tabulated and graphically illustrated, and calculated for five selected Polish waste-to-energy plants. The presented results, with their graphical interpretation, discussion, and conclusions, provide insights into several factors influencing the value of the R1 efficiency factor. They can be a valuable contribution to operators of waste-to-energy plants, especially those operating in countries outside the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources (RES) will play a key role in the transition to clean energy. Financial and socio-economic benefits determine the investment management in these energy sources. This article aims to indicate current energy policy goals, present socio-economic benefits resulting from renewable energy investments, and review further development directions in Poland. The research was carried out using desk research, case studies, and literature review methods to provide a broader economic context for RES investments. The scope of the research included both the Polish and the European Union contexts. The authors examined the Polish objectives of investment in renewable energy contained in strategic, planning, and other legal documents compared to EU targets, reviewed possible investments in renewable energy, and indicated wind farms and photovoltaic investments as the most effective ones from the point of view of further development which aims to meet the EU's goals by 2030. The authors also demonstrated a wide range of socio-economic benefits based on literature reviews, analysis of policy documents, and regulations regarding the energy sector, and examined a specific example of investment implementation and identified the ecosystem of beneficiaries and their benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2001, a new development paradigm, not only in EU countries but also at the global level, has been the concept of balancing environmental, social and economic factors, known as sustainable development. Over the two decades of the new millennium, a number of initiatives and directives have been introduced that are aimed at protecting the environment against over-exploitation, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. This issue also applies to the fields of construction and architecture, which will be inspired to change by the idea of New European Bauhaus initiated in 2020. Thanks to the political transformation that began in 1990, Poland became part of the global capitalist system, and by joining the European Union in 2004, it declared its development policy in line with European standards. This article deals with the local development process and with industry sustainability in the example of an industrial park located in a selected, representative commune in Poland. The case study of the industrial park EURO-PARK Kobierzyce included factors determining the choice of location, provisions of planning documents, development characteristics, as well as sustainability reports published by selected companies. The aim of this study is to understand the impact of the industrial park on local development and sustainability, as well as to attempt to assess the development of the industry in the context of long-term sustainable development in the conditions of global capitalism. The analyzed case of an industrial park is intended to serve as an illustration of the research problem and a starting point for a broader discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition is one of the main objectives of the European Union. Significant changes will mainly affect countries in which significant modifications will have to be made to their energy sources. The process will involve high investment in infrastructure and additional costs of the transformation, such as reduced production (which may affect the GDP value) in the economic sectors involved in the process. The aim of this article is to provide the energy transition community, namely the national economy in general and those involved in planning for structural change in particular, with the key lessons and challenges in researching the impact of production changes in the mining sector. This article also shows the relevance of the mining sector in the economy. Within this area, particular attention is given to the following issues: the impact of economic sectors on the country's GDP (gross domestic product); the identification of key sectors of the economy using the input–output method; the contribution of coal mining and the mining industry to Poland's GDP; an analysis of changes in the structure of Poland's economy using the input–output method; and the use of the input–output method in the context of changing/reducing the supply of economic sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with the policies of European Union countries, including Poland, users of combustion vehicles are and will be encouraged in the coming years to purchase BEVs (battery electric vehicles) through various restrictions, burdens, and incentives. In this context, it is important to choose a BEV that meets consumer needs. The practical aim of the article was to analyse BEVs used in households and to select a car with the highest utility for such a household located in a specific city in Poland. The scientific goal was to analyse the impact of subjective criteria and the imprecision of judgements on the results of the multi-criteria assessment of BEVs. The research used the PVM-VSI (Preference Vector Method—Vector Space of Increments) method, which allows for examining the impact of subjective criteria on the assessment results. Moreover, by examining the deviations of the assessments, the PVM-VSI method also allows for measuring the imprecision of subjective judgements. The study showed that including subjective criteria in the decision-making model may have a decisive impact on the obtained ranking of alternatives. In the study using objective and subjective criteria, Nissan Ariya ranked first. However, in the ranking based solely on objective criteria, Kia Niro EV won, and the winner of the first ranking took the last place. In the study, the imprecision of judgements did not have a significant impact on the order of vehicles in the ranking. Based on utilities and standard deviations, it was found that only if the decision-maker was prone to gambling would there be a slight switch between alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The buildings sector is the single most important end-user of final energy in the European Union and a significant contributor to carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. This work focuses on a review of available data that are used to calculate the annual emissions from electricity generation in the European Union and quantify indirect emissions from the use of electricity in the buildings sector. Historical data since 1990 are used to derive simple empirical correlations for the time evolution of emissions factors related to electricity production in each Member State of the European Union. More recent trajectories using data from the last ten years are also presented. The derived correlations can be easily integrated in building stock modeling and national studies to facilitate forward-looking projections of emissions from electricity use in buildings. The EU-27 averages 0.2883 kgCO2-eq/kWhel, ranging from 0.0456 kgCO2-eq/kWhel in Sweden up to 1.0595 kgCO2-eq/kWhel in Poland. As a case study, the derived coefficients are then used to quantify the indirect emissions from the electricity consumption attributed to the building stock in each EU Member State. The calculated total EU-27 GHG indirect emissions attributed to electricity consumption amounted to 215 MtCO2-eq for residential buildings and 201 MtCO2-eq for non-residential buildings. In addition, the proposed correlations are used to demonstrate how they can be used for more realistic future projections of emissions towards the national targets in Greece and Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the European Union, the course of the Community's energy and climate policy as well as changes in the objectives and priorities of the Common Agricultural Policy, as reflected, among others, in rural development programs subject to ex ante, environmental and ex post evaluation, should be considered. Individual EU countries are still implementing their own programs focused on improving energy efficiency, energy modernisation and supporting renewable energy, and they also intervene in the energy market on an ad hoc basis, as was the case after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. This article fits into such a broadly understood research perspective, and its primary goal is to identify the impact of the costs of energy consumption and the reimbursement of excise tax on motor fuels on the operational durability and financial sustainability of 103 farms belonging to the Polish FADN network, which in 2017–2021 implemented modernisation projects under the rural development program. Logistic and linear multivariate regression were used to estimate the strength, direction and significance of correlation relationships. It was found that relative energy costs were significantly negatively correlated with financial sustainability only in the linear model, while the impact of excise tax return was positive but not significant. Thus, an empirical proof of the advisability of a possible public intervention aimed at making farmers' access to energy cheaper was obtained. All public interventions in agricultural energy use should be subject to careful and systematic ex ante, mid-term and ex post assessments based on sound program theory. It is necessary to identify the cause-and-effect chains, in which the regression proposed in the article may be helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]