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The use of fossil fuel-based energy systems that provide heat and electricity to a building has adverse environmental impacts. These impacts can be mitigated, to a certain extent, through the incorporation of renewable energy sources (RES). The primary objective of this study was to conduct an environmental assessment of the performance of energy systems in existing public facilities located in Poland. Based on the findings, we proposed and implemented changes to these systems and validated the environmental impact of the RES systems used. SimaPro 8.1 software and the Ecoinvent 3.0 database were employed for the analysis, which entailed an environmental assessment of six public facilities located in Poland. The installation of RES resulted in an average 27% reduction in electricity consumption from the national electricity grid. This reduction was observed to be the least in the hospital and the most in the religious building. This was reflected in the environmental assessment of heating systems. The implementation of RES reduced the environmental impact of the religious building by an average of 20%. Concurrently, the CO2 emissions decreased by 35%, SO2 by 44%, and PM10 by 42%. Significant investments and the installation of advanced RES will not prevent the occurrence of unintentional environmental consequences unless the demand for electricity and thermal energy is reduced. The use of RES in the analyzed buildings and the associated avoided emissions do not entirely offset the negative emissions resulting from the utilization of other (conventional) energy sources in the analyzed energy systems of public buildings. Consequently, the analyzed facilities collectively exert a detrimental impact on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents an economic analysis of the use of electricity storage in PV installations, based on previously adopted assumptions, i.e., the type and location of the tested facility and comparative variants, divided into the share of the storage in the installation, and the billing system. The work takes into account the share of the energy shield and assumes a consumption limit of 2000 kWh. The cost of building the installation is based on July 2023 prices. The work assumes potential directions of changes in electricity prices, based on which the degree of investment profitability for a given price situation is determined. Depending on the adopted change in the direction of electricity prices, with a low price increase rate, for installations in the new billing system (net-billing), the optimal choice is an installation without energy storage with a power exceeding the actual energy demand. Assuming a high increase in electricity prices, the optimal choice is an installation with energy storage with an installation capacity exceeding the actual demand. For installations billed using the net-metering system, the optimal choice is an installation without storage with an appropriately selected installation power. This article shows how much you can gain after installing a PV installation and not only what costs must be incurred to complete the investment. Profit analysis will enable a more complete assessment of the profitability of investing in PV panels (with or without energy storage). It describes the verification of the profitability of a PV installation for a standard user depending on various types of settlements with the electricity supplier and the lack or installation of an energy-storage facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates a hybrid heating system in a single-family building in northeastern Poland, which has a temperate continental climate. The analysis covers two heating seasons in 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. The hybrid heating system includes an air heat pump HPA–08 CS Plus with a heating power of 8.2 kW (AHP), a condensing gas boiler VC146/5–5 with a power of 14 kW (GB–Condens.), and a solid fuel boiler with a power of 11 kW for central heating. Additionally, hot water is heated by a Basic 270 (DHW's AHP) air–water heat pump with a power of 2 kW, utilizing a tank with a capacity of 270 dm3 equipped with two heating coils. The building's average electricity consumption is around 5400 kWh/year. A 4.96 kWp photovoltaic installation is installed on the building's roof at a 40° angle towards the south to supplement the hybrid system. The study aims to assess whether the PV installation can adequately cover the energy needs of the hybrid heat source for heating and hot water. Furthermore, the study calculates the emission of pollutants (CO2, SOx, NOx, CO, and PM10) into the atmosphere. The total annual electricity production from PV installations was 5444.9 kWh in 2021/2022 and 5684.8 kWh in 2022/2023. The excess electricity was stored in the PGE power grid as per the Prosumer settlement rules. The installed PV installation is sufficient to power the following devices annually: AHP, DHW's AHP, and GB–Condens. However, the daily electricity production from the PV installation is not enough to cover the energy needs of the heat pump for heating during the cold months in Poland (I–III, XI–XII). It can meet the power needs of a PC all year round and can also be stored during the summer months, for example, in energy warehouses or by directly storing it in the PGE power grid. The use of the PV installation resulted in an average reduction in pollutant emissions into the atmosphere: CO2—94.1%, SOx—91.8%, NOx—95.6%, CO—9.7%, and PM10—32.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic signal priority issues have been a research subject for several decades in Poland and worldwide. Traffic control algorithms have evolved considerably during this period and have become increasingly advanced. Most of them operate within coordinated street sequences, which adds to their complexity. Tramway priority affects traffic conditions for other road users, so many aspects must be taken into account when choosing a priority solution. Typically, one of the main criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of priority is reducing travel time for the priority vehicle while ensuring that the travel times of other traffic participants through the intersection are maintained or slightly deteriorated. However, the energy aspects are often overlooked. This publication aims to investigate how local priority for tramways in traffic signals of coordinated streets affects energy consumption for tramway traction needs. The study was conducted using a microscopic modeling method with PTV Vissim software (ver. 2021). The models were built for coordinated sequences with different levels of priority. Real traffic control algorithms with priority were implemented into the model on the sequence of Marymoncka Street and Grochowska Street in Warsaw. Then, by introducing changes to the parameters of the algorithms, their effect on traffic characteristics, including estimated power consumption, was studied. The results obtained from the computer simulation were statistically processed using R software (ver. 4.3.2). The analysis results prove the effectiveness of tramway priority operation, show its impact on electricity consumption, and allow us to determine the limits of its effective application. Thus, they complement the knowledge of the impact of tramway priority on traffic. The research results also have practical value, as they help us to make rational decisions in the process of designing traffic control algorithms at intersections with a multi-criteria approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit and vegetable processing comes 6th in terms of energy consumption in the agri-food industry. At the same time, 88.4% of the industry's final energy consumption structure is thermal energy, which depends heavily on electricity consumption. In addition, fruit and vegetable processing has a significant impact on the environment due to consumption of significant amounts of water. Reducing these three indicators simultaneously would increase the efficiency of the process while improving environmental protection. This paper proposes neural models of thermal energy, electricity and water consumption for selected major fruit- and vegetable-processing plants in Poland. These models were the basis for formulating a multi-criteria optimization task. Optimization of thermal energy, electricity and water consumption was carried out using genetic algorithms. The optimization results in the sense of Pareto can be the basis for the use of sustainable technology in selected fruit- and vegetable-processing plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed hourly electricity consumption profiles in railway signal boxes located in Poland. The analyses carried out consisted of assessing the correlation among the hourly demand profile, weather indicators, and calendar indicators, e.g., temperature, cloud cover, day of the week, and month. The analysis allowed us to assess which indicator impacts the energy consumption profile and would be useful when forecasting energy demand. In total, 15 railway signal boxes were selected for analysis and grouped according to three characteristic repeatability profiles. On this basis, six of the signal boxes and one that did not fit into any of the groups were selected for further analysis. Four correlation research methods were selected for analysis: Pearson's method, Spearman's method, scatter plots, and distance covariance. The possibility of forecasting electricity consumption based on previously aggregated profiles and determining correlations with indicators was presented. The given indicators vary depending on the facility. Analyses showed different dependencies of the electricity demand profile. The ambient temperature and time of day have the greatest impact on the profile. Regarding the correlation with temperature, the results of the Pearson's and Spearman's coefficients ranged from approximately −0.4 to more than −0.8. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained when comparing the demand profile with the previous day. In this case, the Pearson's and Spearman's coefficients for all analysed objects range from approximately 0.7 to over 0.9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasting electricity demand is of utmost importance for ensuring the stability of the entire energy sector. However, predicting the future electricity demand and its value poses a formidable challenge due to the intricate nature of the processes influenced by renewable energy sources. Within this piece, we have meticulously explored the efficacy of fundamental deep learning models designed for electricity forecasting. Among the deep learning models, we have innovatively crafted recursive neural networks (RNNs) predominantly based on LSTM and combined architectures. The dataset employed was procured from a SolarEdge designer. The dataset encompasses daily records spanning the past year, encompassing an exhaustive collection of parameters extracted from solar farm (based on location in Central Europe (Poland Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship)). The experimental findings unequivocally demonstrated the exceptional superiority of the LSTM models over other counterparts concerning forecasting accuracy. Consequently, we compared multilayer DNN architectures with results provided by the simulator. The measurable results of both DNN models are multi-layer LSTM-only accuracy based on R2—0.885 and EncoderDecoderLSTM R2—0.812. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of ongoing climate changes and the current geopolitical situation, Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are continuously gaining popularity in many countries. Objectives related to environmental protection and the use of RES set by different countries all over the world, as well as by the European Union (EU), are becoming priorities for many. The increase in the installed capacity of photovoltaic systems has been growing steadily for several years, leading to the creation of new systems accompanying PV installations; this phenomenon has also been observed in Poland. This paper presents a photovoltaic system in the form of a bicycle shed next to a school building as an example of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) without connection to the power grid. It was shown that the energy consumption profile should be properly correlated with the production profile, otherwise significant losses occur. Alternative methods to improve the correlation of production and energy consumption by using SCADA systems or building automation to properly manage the electricity generation and consumption installation were also proposed. Furthermore, it was shown that adopting a fixed discount rate in financial analyses can distort the picture of real profits. An analysis of the changes in the NPV ratio using variable discount rates was carried out when analyzing the entire life of the solar plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the energy consumption of production in selected branches of the food industry in Poland and to identify its changes after Poland's accession to the EU. This issue is particularly important in the period of energy transformation and soaring energy prices. The novelty of this article is the determination of changes in the energy efficiency of various branches of the food industry. The main source of data was mass statistics data and unpublished data from the Central Statistical Office for 2004–2020. Descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, and strategic group mapping were used in the data analysis. The research shows that the production of foodstuffs is one of the most energy-intensive processing sectors. This results, among others, from many active enterprises in this sector and a large variety of industries. Individual food-processing industries are characterized by large differences in the energy consumption of production, which determines the different levels of electricity costs and affects the competitiveness of enterprises. In 2004–2019, the average electricity consumption in the food industry in Poland decreased by 31.5%. A greater increase in the value of sold production compensated for the higher energy consumption. This indicates an improvement in production efficiency and contributes to greater environmental protection. In the food sector, simple comparative advantages disappear in the form of lower production costs. This situation encourages processing companies to look for energy savings. The research results can be useful not only in Poland but also in other countries in shaping economic policy. The energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine may require different actions to be taken against various sectors of the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuels, which are widely used in Poland, have negative environmental and health consequences. Photovoltaics, used especially by households, contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions and indirectly reduce the problem of smog. However, the high cost of photovoltaic installations forces the use of economic incentives, such as direct subsidies to the installation, under the "My Electricity" program (hereinafter referred to as the program). The development of photovoltaics is hindered by the ineffective functioning of transmission grids. In the current edition of the "My Electricity" program, the main emphasis was placed on the use of electricity at the place of generation through the use of energy storage facilities and the transition to a new billing system, so-called net billing. The program indirectly contributes to the growing popularity of heat pumps as an installation that uses electricity generated on-site. Significant changes in the program inspired the authors of the study to plan and conduct nationwide research; they assessed investment plans for energy storage and heat pumps by potential individual investors, i.e., owners of single-family houses. Based on the results obtained, the authors of the article concluded that the new version of the "My Electricity" program will almost exclusively affect the energy storage market. This impact will stimulate the development and application of this technology. In the case of the heat pump market, the current demand will remain at the same level. The program will contribute to achieving the assumed goals, especially energy consumption at the place of production and reducing so-called low emissions. The program will not affect the demand for heat pumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The publication presents heat and electricity management in the Polish steel industry. The paper is based on actual data on heat and electricity consumption and intensity by processes in the steel industry in Poland in Industry 4.0 conditions. Two steel production processes are used in Poland: EAF Electric Arc Furnace and BOF Basic Oxygen Furnace. The analysis is an analysis of actual data is used to characterise the electricity and heat consumption by processes in the Polish steel industry. The analysis shows that the EAF technology is always more electricity intensive and the BOF technology more heat intensive. On the basis of conducted analysis, it can be concluded that pro-environmental innovations in the steel industry should first aim to reduce the electricity consumption of EAF technology and the heat consumption of BOF. An analysis of data for Poland for the period 2004–2020 shows that both cases occurred. The study shows that the heat consumption of BOF technologies has been steadily decreasing since 2010, and the electricity consumption of EAF technologies has been decreasing throughout the period under review. It can be concluded from this that the Polish steel industry is adapting to pro-environmental requirements and, through the introduction of technological innovations, is moving towards the concept of sustainable steel production according to green steel principles. The decrease in energy intensity (means electricity) of steel produced according to EAF technology is an important issue, as the high energy intensity of EAF processes affects the overall energy intensity of the steel production in Poland. In the future, the use of new innovative technological solutions, including solutions based on Industry 4.0 principles, should help the Polish steel industry to further reduce the level of electricity and heat consumption. The driving force behind the investment is the boom in the steel market. The authors made a short-term forecasts of steel production (2022–2025). The annual forecasts determined and analyses made were used to determine the heat and energy consumption of the Polish steel industry up to 2025. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of the analysis of parameters describing electricity consumption in individual phases of the production cycle on a poultry farm. One full broiler rearing cycle on the farm was analyzed. Electrical parameters were tested during the broiler rearing process using a power quality analyzer with a measurement interval of 1 min. During the tests, the analyzer recorded the active and reactive power, phase and line voltage, power factor, and frequency. On the basis of collected data, original indicators describing electricity consumption per chicken wkA, wkQ, and per unit area wiA, wiQ were determined. The regression curves of active and reactive power consumption in particular stages of the cycle were also determined, and the minimum and maximum values of active and reactive power consumption were determined. The accomplished research can be used in planning electricity demand in energy-self-sufficient areas. The presented original indicators can be used to determine power demand on broiler farms, depending on the planned production volume or size of farm buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analyses presented in the publication allowed, on the basis of the data collected, development of an econometric model for the Polish steel industry from the point of view of the relationship between heat and energy management in the steel production process. The developed model is the main novelty of the paper. The main objective of the study was to develop an econometric model of Poland's heat and energy economy. The following research questions were raised: Is there an econometric model describing heat consumption (intensity) in the steel industry in Poland in relation to steel production and the energy economy? What are the relations between heat intensity and energy prices and steel production in Poland? How might the current energy crisis affect steel production? In the analysis we used data of energy and heat management in the Polish steel industry. An econometric model was developed of the dependence of heat consumption (Yt) on electricity prices (X1t) and steel production (X2t) in Poland. The authors took advantage of open access to data. Annual volumes of heat consumption in steel production processes in Poland were analysed as a function of the annual volume of steel production and the prices of electricity, which are consumed in technological processes in steel mills. We analyzed data for years 2004–2020. The analyses carried out showed that there is an inversely proportional relationship between electricity prices and the intensity of heat consumption by the steel industry. Research shows that rising energy prices lead to lower steel production. This is a dangerous phenomenon for the steel industry in the context of the current energy crisis caused by the pandemic and war in Ukraine. We think that the significance of our results is connected with the fact that the developed model is a useful analytical tool, as it not only allows the analysis of historical data, but can also be used to predict how steel industry parameters will change in the future under the influence of changes in external factors, such as energy prices. This gives a wide range of analytical possibilities for the use of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to show the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on electricity consumption and, consequently, on decisions regarding the installation of photovoltaic panels using the example of a selected local authority in Poland—the Szemud Municipality. The analysis was conducted in 2022 and covered the years 2019–2021. An attempt was made to explore the factors that may have triggered an increase in the use of solar energy in households and identify the determinants of installing photovoltaic panels in the period under analysis. Previous analyses of the PV market (and the impact of the pandemic on it) have so far focused on the market as a whole, either in macro or global terms, while studies on smaller municipalities have been limited to examining changes in electricity consumption levels during the COVID-19 pandemic and during lockdown. Therefore, a research gap was identified in that there are no studies analyzing the reasons for the shift from conventional to PV-assisted energy in households, with the COVID-19 pandemic as the background of these changes. The literature research showed that there are currently no studies attempting to establish a link between the increased interest in this type of energy by local authorities and the COVID-19 pandemic. The research confirmed the hypothesis of increased interest in household PV during the pandemic. The main conclusions of the study boil down to the need for further support as well as promotion of the use of solar energy. In addition, the results derived from the empirical research indicate the need to take action at a policy level to counter adverse trends regarding undesirable social behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Poland, electricity production is based on nonrenewable energy sources. The energy market is dominated by corporations. Rising electricity prices and threats of power shortages have become, among others, prerequisites for the development of distributed sources based on renewable sources, primarily using photovoltaic panels. The development of the renewable energy market is slow due to the lack of legal solutions and insufficient state support. Polish farmers, especially fruit growers, whose electricity consumption costs are a significant item in production costs, may become part of the energy sector by building a local energy system. In 2022, Poland introduced two new legal regulations, which currently provide three options for obtaining electricity using renewable micro-installations. The conducted study aimed at indicating which of the legally permitted option is the most advantageous for fruit farms in Poland. Growers can produce energy by being a prosumer who settles accounts in the net-metering and net-billing system and by participating in an energy cooperative. The direction of changes was ascertained by conducting a pilot study among fruit growers. The study used real quantitative and valuable data on the consumption and costs of electricity in 2012–2022 and the production of photovoltaic panels in a fruit farm in 2021. The study consisted of comparing three models of settling accounts for electricity with two comparative models in two scenarios. The analysis of prosumers' functioning showed that the situation in Poland is favorable for the development of civic energy. However, participation in an energy cooperative with new legal solutions will not always be the more advantageous solution in terms of economy and energy. In particular, the study showed that the support mechanism needs further changes. The results of the research confirm the existing potential of fruit farms, which can be developed in the area of securing energy needs. The results of this research can be used as the premise for introducing changes to the legal conditions for the establishment and operation of energy cooperatives in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the global characteristics of the Polish manufacturing industry and the structure of its energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions related to direct emission as a result of fuel combustion and indirect emission as a result of electricity consumption. The share of individual sectors in energy consumption and emission levels was determined, and the changes in this share over the last 20 years were determined. A method for determining the carbon productivity index for the emissions of individual industries with the use of global macroeconomic indicators was proposed. The index allows for the comparison of the productivity of individual industries, regardless of the nature of production. The change in carbon productivity in Polish industry over time was presented. On this basis, it was assessed which industries are particularly promising in terms of decarbonising the Polish industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the demand for heat power for domestic hot water preparation is necessary to perform a building energy assessment. For this, we need to predict domestic hot water consumption. Considering the number of factors influencing domestic hot water consumption, it is difficult to develop a highly accurate methodology. The aim of the study was to compare the real domestic hot water consumption and heat power for its preparation with the values calculated based on the available prediction methods in multi-family buildings. The analysis was carried out based on annual monitoring (2021 year) of domestic hot water consumption and the actual demand for heat power in eight multi-family buildings located in Grudziądz, in Central Poland. The results of these measurements were compared with the values determined based on the available methodologies for forecasting the demand for heat power and domestic hot water consumption: Sander's, Recknagel's, the standard method and the method according to Polish regulations from 2008 and 2015. The real average demand for heat power for domestic hot water was 89.8 ± 8.5 W/person, 211.2 ± 13.7 W/apartment and 4.8 ± 0.3 W/m2, and the daily domestic hot water consumption was 26.7 ± 3.6 dm3/person·day, 62.6 ± 5.8 dm3/apartment·day and 1.4 ± 0.1 dm3/m2·day. The real demand for heat power for domestic hot water was lower than that determined by the analyzed methods. The values obtained from the modified standard method based on Standard PN-92/B-01706/A1: 1999, with mean relative error of 10.5 ± 4.1%, were the closest to the real values. The current ordinance method (Regulation 2015) is characterized by an error of 45.4 ± 10.2%. The predicted domestic hot water consumption using the current ordinance was the closest to the real consumption. On average, it was higher by 7.7 ± 5.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a dedicated system for de-icing trolley wires. The proposed issue is appropriately under the protection of intellectual property for solving as described in patent no.B1 230665 PL in the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland. In the solution presented herein, de-icing is achieved mainly by electrodynamic force excitation and secondarily as a result of heating. Because ice is removed primarily through vibrations, it avoids a large consumption of electricity associated with the high specific heat of water. More importantly, operation is nearly simultaneously applied to the total distance of the trolley power grid between two substations. For this reason, it requires less electricity consumption and less time to apply than in heating, mechanical, or chemical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing transformation of the Polish power sector have been shaped by a number of factors. In this article, both external conditions for the Polish energy market—such as the country's membership in the European Union—and internal ones—including domestic energy resources and demand for electricity, or the structure of the Polish economy—have been analysed. This study focuses specifically on the issue of development of clean generation technologies as these are fundamental to the energy-transition process. Its determinants have been examined empirically. To this end, econometric models have been developed using sectoral data from the Polish electric power industry. Improvements in technology have been measured as innovation inputs, that is, RD&D investments in environmental technologies. Explanatory variables encompass economic as well as institutional measures: energy price, environmental policy stringency, long-term interest rate, market concentration and protection of intellectual property rights. The findings obtained point to a positive impact of the variables named on the innovative activity in Poland, with the exception of market concentration, which was proven to be statistically insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacity limitations of distribution networks, the increasing demands for electricity installation in terms of electricity quality parameters, and the development of electromobility all increase the need to implement systems in order to stabilize and regulate loads for end users. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs), that operate in internal microgrids of enterprises, allow smoothing of electrical power consumption profiles by actively reducing peak demand power. By using BESSs to implement a peak shaving strategy to reduce the peak power consumption of a company in an external network, energy efficiency can be improved by reducing contractual capacity. The aim of this study is to determine the conditions for the use of energy storage, in order to implement a peak shaving strategy for which the installation of the enterprise microgrid is economically efficient. The analysis of the operating conditions of the BESS should take into account the size of the energy storage, the characteristics of the demand profile for the demand systems, the charges related to electricity, and the costs of electricity storage. In the study, the size of the energy storage was related to the power and electrical capacity of the BESS that was used to implement the peak shaving strategy. The article presents the results of research on the method for determining an effective capacity and power of BESSs for enterprise microgrid systems. The technical and cost limitations of the actual microgrid system, which affected the decrease in economic efficiency of the peak shaving strategy in the company research, were taken into account. The simulations of the operation of the electricity storage system, based on real data of the demand of production companies, were based on the rules and market conditions in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Poland, in 2021, an increase in demand for electricity was recorded, and hard coal and lignite power plants still had a dominant share in its production. Another source of electricity was renewable energy sources (RES), mainly wind farms. Young people in Poland are aware that electricity is not only its production, but also consumption in households. Therefore, it is also essential to properly educate young people, aiming at a cost-effective, sustainable lifestyle, in relation to electricity consumption. The article presents the current state of the electricity generation sector in Poland along with the proposed changes in this respect, in particular in terms of the development prospects for the use of renewable energy sources and the influence of government administration on the production and consumption of electricity. The aim of this research was to broaden the knowledge of young people's opinions on energy production and consumption. The research results can be used to create long-term directions of energy policy and to build a social attitude of sustainable energy consumption in Poland. The research was non-probabilistic, based on questionnaires, using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) technique. The questionnaire was conducted in 2021, and the analysis was made on the basis of 741 correctly completed research questionnaires. The results of the research confirmed the research hypotheses—that the surveyed youth see the need to reduce consumption as a way to counteract climate change and excessive energy consumption. They also expect government support in the energy transformation in Poland, based on a diversified scenario, using both renewable energy sources (RES) and nuclear energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions related to energy consumption in the Polish agricultural sector between 2000 and 2019. Based on the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI), the changes in agricultural CO2 emissions are viewed in the context of changes in six factors, i.e., CO2 emission intensity, substitution of fossil fuels, penetration of renewable energies, energy intensity, labor productivity and number of employees. The analysis demonstrated that total energy consumption declined over the study period; this was related to a reduction in the intake of energy derived from solid fossil fuels (−1.05%), crude oil (−1.01%), electricity (−4.89%), and heat (−1.37%), and to an increased consumption of natural gas (5.78%) and biofuels (0.82%). Furthermore, it follows from the analysis that changes in CO2 emissions witnessed in that period were consistent with changes in energy consumption levels; this resulted from a negligible transformation of the energy mix (largely determined by fossil fuels). Generally, CO2 emissions declined over the study period at a rate comparable (−0.9%) to that of the reduction in energy consumption (−1.03%). In light of the LMDI method, the reduction in CO2 emissions from fuel consumption in the Polish agricultural sector was mainly driven by a reduction in energy intensity and in employment. Conversely, rapid growth in labor productivity was the key factor in increasing carbon dioxide emissions. Compared to these impacts, changes in other factors (i.e., emission intensity, energy mix and penetration of renewable energies) had an extremely small or marginal effect on the variation in CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition forcing a change in the structure of the electricity generation system is a particularly difficult task in countries such as Poland, where the dominant source of energy is fossil fuels. Due to the nature of renewable sources (stochastic and seasonally variable), it is necessary to study their impact on the power system. Much research was conducted on this subject. They consider modelling power systems in terms of dealing with an increasing amount of renewable energy sources, stabilization of electricity generation or environmental aspects. This article examines one of the key sources of future power systems—offshore wind turbines (OWT). The influence of offshore wind sources on the power system in the fields of stability of generation, methods of regulatory strategies, and economics were examined. One of the aspects that are less considered is the correlation of energy production in OWT with energy demand and with generation in other renewable energy sources, especially in the region of the southern Baltic Sea and the distribution of energy demand in countries such as Poland. The key aspect of the research is to fill this gap. The obtained results indicate that the average monthly power generation in OWT is strongly positively correlated with the demand, and the hourly average is positively correlated moderately. Correlation between generation in OWT and photovoltaic sources is very high negative, and between onshore and offshore wind turbines is highly positive. The study indicates that the OWT has a significant potential for the development and replacement of conventional sources, due to the very high capacity and a positive correlation with demand. Moreover, future offshore wind farms can cooperate with photovoltaic sources as these sources complement each other. On the other hand, a significant saturation of the system with offshore and onshore wind sources may pose a threat to the power system due to their positive correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid air conditioning system, which is composed of a novel gravity-assisted heat pipe (GAHP)-based indirect evaporative cooler (IEC) and direct expansion (DX) cooling coil, is proposed and investigated here. After developing a mathematical model to describe the performance of the GAHP-based IEC, the hybrid system is evaluated during the cooling design day for providing thermal comfort for an office building in Poland. The results are obtained and compared with the combination of a rotary heat exchanger (RHE) and DX cooling coil as the conventional hybrid system. The comparison is performed by analyzing cooling capacity, electricity consumption, and coefficient of performance profiles, which describe the technical, energy, and efficiency aspects, respectively. The results show that the GAHP-based IEC hybrid system is able to enhance the energy performance significantly compared to the conventional one. The proposed hybrid HVAC system improves COP by 39.2% and reduces electricity consumption by 45.0%, according to the design-day of 24 August and the outdoor temperature of 30 °C. As a result, the total operating cost for the assumed cooling season is reduced by 51.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important question in the literature on climate change and sustainable development is the relationship between countries' economic growth, household electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related economic restrictions, sustainable economic growth remains at the forefront of the global development agenda. However, given the strong relationship between the ever increasing electricity consumption and greenhouse gas CO2 emissions, an increasing number of scientists have been questioning the feasibility of the planned emission reduction. In my research, I strove to determine whether there exists a relationship between the change in the structure of electricity consumption of households in selected EU Member States (15 countries), the impact of innovation, changes in electricity prices and economic growth, and CO2 emissions in 2007–2019, prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and following its third wave (2021). The aim of the article is to propose a synthetic index to assess the degree of sustainable energy development (SISED) in selected EU countries. Multiobjective decision analysis (MODA) was applied in order to assess the sustainable energy development of the selected European countries. Research findings may contribute to both literature and practice if they are applied by individual EU countries in the process of formulating directions aimed at achieving sustainable energy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The household, industrial, and service sectors in Poland and the Baltic States have been facing ever-higher bills for their electricity consumption at a time when a number of them have been hit hard financially by the pandemic. Rising inflation, the border crisis—with its set of restrictions, or the spread of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, is causing strong concerns in the social and economic sphere, with significant increases in electricity prices. Many countries are implementing measures to reduce the adverse effects of rising electricity prices in response to this complex situation. The main orientation is towards obtaining energy from renewable sources, such as the sun. The current situation in the energy market determines the price per 1 KW. Among the countries under study, the price of electricity has increased the most in Poland. On the other hand, the development of the photovoltaic segment in Poland is undergoing a strong, upward trend. The above inspired the authors to explore the energy market situation in Poland and the Baltic States in the current economic conditions, along with an analysis of its development potential in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The main research problem of this study is an attempt to answer the question of what should be changed in the development of the renewable energy market in Poland, with particular emphasis on photovoltaics, to accelerate the process of reducing CO2 emissions, leading to a reduction in dramatically rising electricity prices. Which solutions implemented in the Baltic countries can inspire strengthening Poland's energy market development? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to energy, including electricity, determines countries' socio-economic development. The growing demand for electricity translates into environmental problems. Energy is therefore a crucial element of the European Union's sustainable development strategy. This article aims to present the changes taking place in the electricity market in Poland considering the goals of the energy policy until 2040. This is the basis for the determination of the scale of processes taking place in the Polish energy sector from two perspectives, i.e., the production of electricity considering its level and energy carriers used, and the consumption of electricity in households depending on their location (rural vs. urban areas). The research was conducted at the regional level (NUTS 2 until 2017) in Poland. Secondary data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) contained in the Local Data Bank were used, along with information from the European Commission and Eurostat websites. Results of the study made it possible to identify areas in which a greater environmental load is observed due to increasing electricity consumption. The coefficient of localization and concentration (by Florence) and the rate of change were applied. These results indicate that, in Poland, it is now the rural areas that have a greater negative environmental impact than urban areas, resulting from differences in unit energy consumption. Compared to the other provinces, rural areas of Podlaskie province had the highest rate of growth in energy consumption in the years 2004–2019, with an annual average of almost 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we aim to identify the determinants that profoundly impact renewable energy sources development in Poland. To this end, the authors have conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses of Poland's renewable energy sector. In this paper, we demonstrate an original approach considering the different development levels of the given sector across provinces (voivodeships). It uses panel data from the Local Data Bank of the Statistics Poland on electricity production from renewable energy sources in individual voivodeships in Poland from 2005 through 2019. The study confronts the results of previous studies and sheds light on the situation in Poland—specifically, upon the changes that have happened over the ten years (2010–2019). The qualitative analysis shows a negative correlation between energy consumption and the share of renewable energy sources in total energy production. Evidence shows that favorable changes are underway in the energy production structure: RES share is growing and by degrees satisfying energy demand, and there is growing potential of energy entities in Poland. Furthermore, the analysis shows that R&D and total expenditures on environmental protection and water management investments do not significantly affect the development of RES. A dynamic panel data model has been used to analyze the group and time effects on the dependent variable. The findings confirm the existence of the persistency effect and indicate positive effects of total installed electric capacity (IEC) and household electricity consumption (HEC). Nonhousehold electricity consumption (NHEC) has a negative effect on the endogenous variable, i.e., the renewable energy sources share in the gross final energy consumption (RESS). The research results may be applicable as recommendations for energy efficiency policy development based on renewable energy sources depending on the RES development level in the regions of Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges of the modern world require transformations in the energy market towards the possible reduction of consumption and greater use of renewable sources. The conducted research of consumers of this market confirms that the behaviour in the field of increased use of renewable energy is burdened with cognitive errors and motivational factors, which makes it difficult to conduct quantitative research. Electricity demand forecasting can be modelled using selected quantitative methods. In this way, not so much the behaviour, but the result of the consumer's behaviour is predicted. The research presented in the article has been divided into two parts. The aim of the first one is to study the prospects of a greater share of renewable sources in obtaining energy in Poland, based on the attitudes and opinions of consumers on the retail energy market, legal regulations and the energy balance. The aim of the second part is to build forecasts of daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly electricity consumption in Poland, including the prediction of the RES share, using selected machine and deep learning methods. The analyses used the time series of daily electricity consumption in Poland from 2015–2021; the ENTSO-E data was obtained from the cire.pl website. Depending on the adopted forecast horizon, the forecasting method with the lowest MAPE error was exponential smoothing, SARIMA and NNETAR. An evolution of energy consumers' attitudes towards pro-ecological and pro-social sensitivity and understanding of the importance of RES for the economy was also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to one definition, Smart City is an administrative unit that uses data and digital technology to improve the decision-making processes and well-being of its inhabitants. Smart Cities use modern, intelligent technologies to forecast future changes, optimize city functions, gain a better understanding of current conditions, and deliver solutions. To make the city smart, multiple connected sensors, smartphones and other IoT devices are needed. As part of the research conducted at the Technical University in Vienna, six key dimensions (categories) of smart cities have been identified and characterized: Smart Economy, Smart Mobility, Smart Environment, Smart People, Smart Living, and Smart Governance. The aim of the paper is to present the concept of the smart cities, the implemented innovative solutions and the issue of electricity saving in Smart Cities. The theoretical considerations were expanded of the presentation of selected smart city projects in Polish cities. The considerations were also supplemented with the results of research conducted on a group of respondents living in large and very large cities in Poland in order to their awareness of the concept of smart cities, awareness on smart projects implemented in their cities of residence, and the possibility of using intelligent technologies to achieve savings in electricity consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Poland, a dynamic increase in the share of renewable energy sources in the national energy mix has been observed in recent years. Until now, these were mainly installations used for the needs of single-family houses and large-scale installations used on the RES auction market. However, due to the fact that the carbon footprint of the offered products is taken into account, this aspect is becoming more and more important. The carbon footprint can be offset by, among others, by covering the energy needs of the industrial plant by its own renewable energy sources. The article analyzes four sample electricity demand profiles of production plants operating in the mining industry, mainly located in Upper Silesia. Using statistical methods, the fitting of potential photovoltaic sources production profiles to the electricity consumption profiles in the analyzed case studies was checked. The analysis was carried out for each hour of the day and for the profiles weighted by the electricity price from the Polish Power Exchange on the Day-Ahead Market, because matching profiles at different hours has a different monetary value and, as a result, a different impact on operation costs. The highest correlation coefficient between electricity consumption and insolation on an annual basis was −0.29 in the Spearman rho-statistic for the case of M1 enterprise. On the other hand, the highest value at the level of 0.48 was achieved by the Pearson r-correlation coefficient determined on a monthly basis between the monetary value of electricity consumed and insolation in June for the M2 enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in electricity demand and, consequently, electricity consumption profiles. Given the rapid changes in energy prices, it is significant from the perspective of energy companies, and forecasting consumed energy volume. A necessity for accurate energy volume planning forces the need for analyzing consumers' behaviors during the pandemic, especially under lockdowns, to prepare for the possibility of another pandemic wave. Many business clients analyzed in the paper are economic entities functioning in sectors under restrictions. That is why analyzing the pandemic's impact on the change in energy consumption profiles and volume of these entities is particularly meaningful. The article analyzes the pandemic and restrictions' impact on the total change of energy consumption volume and demand profiles. The analysis was conducted basing on data collected from a Polish energy trading and sales company. It focused on the energy consumption of its corporate clients. Analyzed data included aggregated energy consumption volumes for all company's customers and key groups of economic entities under restrictions. The analysis demonstrates the influence of pandemic restrictions on energy consumption in the group of business clients. Significant differences are observable among various sectors of the economy. The research proves that the largest drops in energy consumption are related to shopping centers and offices. Altogether, the restrictions have caused a 15–23% energy consumption drop during the first lockdown and a maximum 11% during the second against expected values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of the Green Deal in 2019 by the European Commission poses a significant challenge for EU member states whose power generation is based primarily on fossil fuels. In Poland, nearly 80% of the electricity is produced from fossil fuels. This paper presents an analysis of the risks related to the delays in the accomplishment of investment programs in the Polish power industry. Three scenarios were prepared for balancing the deficiency of about 3 GW of power and 20 TWh of electricity in the national power grid in the years 2031–2040, which may emerge as a result of the delayed accomplishment of investment programs, particularly in nuclear energy. The first scenario presents a variant entailing the rapid phasing out of coal and the replacement of the decommissioned power units with new gas-powered units, where the missing power volume would be partially balanced by import, and partially through gas-based production in the new power units. The second scenario assumes that the missing power would be balanced by retaining the existing, older coal-powered units, whereas the required electricity would be compensated by import. The third scenario involves the production of the missing volume of electricity using coal with CO2 capture in existing or new coal-powered units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the new challenges facing modernising railways in Poland. We look at the problem of the efficiency of the power supply system (3 kV DC) used in the context of the increasing use of electric vehicles, which have a higher demand for electricity than the old type. We present and characterise the power supply system in use, pointing out its weaknesses. We consider a case study. The load of the power supply network generated by the rolling stock used in Poland was examined using a microsimulation. A real train timetable was taken into account on a fragment of one of the most important railway line sections in one of the urban agglomerations. Then the results were compared with the results of a microsimulation in which old units were replaced by new trains. These tests were carried out in several variants. We found critical points in the scheduling of railway system use. Our results indicate that it is becoming increasingly necessary to take into account the permissible load capacity of the supply network in certain traffic situations in the process of timetable construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deteriorating condition of the environment and the increasing emission of pollutants into the atmosphere intensify the greenhouse effect. Energy production in power plants results in emissions that affect the increase of global temperatures. According to the Research Institute for Global Climate Change in Berlin there are just over 7 years to cross the critical point, which will start chain reactions associated with irreversible changes in the climate. In order to reduce the climate changes, exhaust emissions must be reduced. One of the steps is to reduce electricity consumption. In the case of roads, electricity is most related to the technical infrastructure. First steps has been taken to reduce the demand for electricity by using lighting systems equipped in the energy saving solutions. The next step should be to use renewable energy sources. There are many solutions to generate electricity that can be used directly on roads or nearby. There are many sides in the area of the road junction that can be used for producing energy. The authors, based on a review of the literature and the first usage of energy generating devices, describe the possibilities of obtaining energy and indicate the devices with their classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Poland, the development of photovoltaic (PV) installations is an important element in the development of the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) sector and supports the prosumer power industry. The purpose of the article is to present a case study of the PROSUMENT program. It analyzes the data available to date on the development of the PV market in Poland. Apart from the costs of installing the PV systems, the article analyzes the profitability of investment for different micro-power installation capacities. A calculation for micro-power installations subsidized under the PROSUMENT program for various PV capacities is presented, along with the actual amount of the subsidy. The adopted calculation methodology is a comparative verification analysis of the investment cost estimate for a for the two studied PV facilities, i.e., Micro-power installation 1 and Micro-power installation 2. The building's annual energy demand was adopted at the same level for both examples, with fixed active energy and distribution fees. The study includes a cost estimate for installing the PV systems and the profitability of the investments for various micro-power installation capacities. The analysis of the subsidy under the PROSUMENT program demonstrated that, in the analyzed period of 2016–2020, the best results were achieved by investments with a capacity of 10 kWp. In terms of the net subsidy value, the best results ranged between 27.20 and 19.10% of the total investment costs. Development of the Polish prosumer power market requires building public awareness of prosumer power production as an opportunity for the growth of the Polish economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swimming pools are used around the world for recreational, rehabilitation and physical activity. From an energy and environmental standpoint, grey water as a waste thermal potential of swimming pools is a valuable heat source produced continuously in extensive, measurable and large quantities. The main objective of this article is to analyse the feasibility of proposed grey water heat recovery (GWHR) system from the showers and backwater from swimming pool filters for an indoor pool located in recreation centre in Poland. Analysis, calculations and results were obtained and discussions of water and energy consumption were carried out for the mentioned indoor swimming pool on the basis of real measurements case study for water flow rate, water temperature in swimming pools and showers. The results ensure a significant potential of energy savings by using the proposed GWHR system, which allows to reduce the energy demand by 34% up to 67% for pool water preheating and domestic hot water (DHW). The environmental impact of proposed GWHR system was analysed and calculated by using Common Air Quality Index. Environmental results are illustrated and discussed specially for the reduction of CO2, NOX, SOX emissions and dust and ensure a significant reduction of these pollutants in range of 34% to 48%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial share of the building sector in global energy demand has attracted scholars to focus on the energy efficiency of the building sector. The building's energy consumption has been projected to increase due to mass urbanization, high living comfort standards, and, more importantly, climate change. While climate change has potential impacts on the rate of energy consumption in buildings, several studies have shown that these impacts differ from one region to another. In response, this paper aimed to investigate the impact of climate change on the heating and cooling energy demands of buildings as influential variables in building energy consumption in the city of Poznan, Poland. In this sense, through the statistical downscaling method and considering the most recent Typical Meteorological Year (2004–2018) as the baseline, the future weather data for 2050 and 2080 of the city of Poznan were produced according to the HadCM3 and A2 GHG scenario. These generated files were then used to simulate the energy demands in 16 building prototypes of the ASHRAE 90.1 standard. The results indicate an average increase in cooling load and a decrease in heating load at 135% and 40%, respectively, by 2080. Due to the higher share of heating load, the total thermal load of the buildings decreased within the study period. Therefore, while the total thermal load is currently under the decrease, to avoid its rise in the future, serious measures should be taken to control the increased cooling demand and, consequently, thermal load and GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is one of the advanced solutions that uses electric vehicles (EV) to balance electricity demand in the power system. It can be particularly useful in analyzing and then mitigating the risk of not delivering electricity to the end user. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the possibility of operation of this technology in the legal framework. The article presents the analysis of the legal status in Poland, referring to the documents of the European Union and domestic legislation. Potential changes in Polish energy law that could facilitate the implementation of V2G technology are also proposed. In addition, the authors suggested the principles for the use of this technology, formulating a mechanism called the V2G Program. Within this Program, the V2G Service was defined and a business model of its implementation by a participant of the V2G Program (uEV) was presented. In addition, an uEV selection algorithm is provided so that the mathematical model of the V2G Service can be validated. Based on the performed simulations, it can be concluded that the implementation of the V2G Program requires significant changes in the Polish energy law, but it is feasible from the technical point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to present the changes in biomass production, especially pellets in Poland, in the context of world's and European Union's (EU) climate and energy policy, compared to other renewable energy sources. We also analyzed the law concerning the biomass production in the EU. Finally, we have elaborated the prognosis of the pellet production on the world scale. We have used different methods to achieve the goals, among which the most important are the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH model) and prognosis. We also compared the results of pellet production in different countries in the European Union. The results were presented in tabular and graphic form. We have received the data from Eurostat and the Main Statistical Office (MSO) in Poland. Our research proves the increase of biomass and pellet production on the global scale. Moreover, global wood pellet production increased by 972% in the years 2005–2018. We can conclude that this increase was the result of increasing demand for renewable energy sources. The first research hypothesis assumed that the changes in the European Union Policy have impacted the increase of biomass production in the world. Our prognosis confirmed the second hypothesis that the development of pellets will increase as the result of increasing global demand. The use of more renewable energy sources is necessary to decrease the degradation of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission, distribution, and micro-grid system operators are struggling with the increasing number of renewables and the changing nature of energy demand. This necessitates the use of prognostic methods based on ever shorter time series. This study depicted an attempt to develop an appropriate method by introducing a novel forecasting model based on the idea to use the Pareto fronts as a tool to select data in the forecasting process. The proposed model was implemented to forecast short-term electric energy demand in Poland using historical hourly demand values from Polish TSO. The study rather intended on implementing the range of different approaches—scenarios of Pareto fronts usage than on a complex evaluation of the obtained results. However, performance of proposed models was compared with a few benchmark forecasting models, including naïve approach, SARIMAX, kNN, and regression. For two scenarios, it has outperformed all other models by minimum 7.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the research is to analyze regional gaps in terms of renewable energy generation across Poland. For this purpose, four types of regions were outlined based on two indicators: the existing renewable energy generation capacity and the current regional energy demand revealed through the number of residents. This classification allowed to reveal regions in Poland that have distinct features of energy gaps and peripherality, while also more successful regions with renewable energy surpluses and distinct sustainable energy potential. For each of the region type key potential systemic problems in terms of renewable energy generation development were given. To understand how peripheral regions and regions with energy gaps could be supported in their development of renewable energy generation the regional innovation systems, social networks, knowledge and technology transfer and diffusion were substantiated. Results of the research can serve as an aid in development of national and regional energy policies, helping to understand peculiarities of local renewable energy generation and the influence of enabling environment peculiar to the specific region, including the regional innovation systems and intensity of knowledge transfer and diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of thermal comfort demand on the renovation process was carried out on an optimization basis for the thermo-modernization process of an exemplary single-family home located in Warsaw. The verified TRNSYS simulation program was used to generate a set of variants of building modernization solutions. This variants set was used afterwards as a database for optimization. The analysis performed includes the internal air temperature, indicators of thermal comfort (PPD), and annual energy demand for heating and cooling, and investment costs of modernization building. The results indicated the importance of analyzing various variants of building modernization solutions. Performing modernization without analyzing its effects can have positive as well as negative consequences, e.g., achieving a significant reduction in the primary energy demands at the expense of the deteriorated thermal comfort of users. It was shown that separate analysis of indicators leads to completely different solutions and should not be recommended during modernization of single-family buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krakow has an extensive district heating network, which is approximately 900 km long. It is the second largest city in terms of the number of inhabitants in Poland, resulting in a high demand for energy—for both heating and cooling. The district heating of the city is based on coal. The paper presents the conception of using the available renewable sources to integrate them into the city's heating system, increasing the flexibility of the system and its decentralization. An innovative solution of the use of hybrid, modular heat pumps with power dependent on the needs of customers in a given location and combining them with geothermal waters and photovoltaics is presented. The potential of deep geothermal waters is based on two reservoirs built of carbonate rocks, namely Devonian and Upper Jurassic, which mainly consist of dolomite and limestone. The theoretical potential of water intake equal to the nominal heating capacity of a geothermal installation is estimated at 3.3 and 2.0 MW, respectively. Shallow geothermal energy potential varies within the city, reflecting the complex geological structure of the city. Apart from typical borehole heat exchangers (BHEs), the shallower water levels may represent a significant potential source for both heating and cooling by means of water heat pumps. For the heating network, it has been proposed to use modular heat pumps with hybrid sources, which will allow for the flexible development of the network in places previously unavailable or unprofitable. In the case of balancing production and demand, a photovoltaic installation can be an effective and sufficient source of electricity that will cover the annual electricity demand generated by the heat pump installation, when it is used for both heating and cooling. The alternating demand of facilities for heating and cooling energy, caused by changes in the seasons, suggests potential for using seasonal cold and heat storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electricity tariffs available to customers in Poland depend on the connection voltage level and contracted capacity, which reflect the customer demand profile. Therefore, before connecting to the power grid, each consumer declares the demand for maximum power. This amount, referred to as the contracted capacity, is used by the electricity provider to assign the proper connection type to the power grid, including the size of the security breaker. Maximum power is also the basis for calculating fixed charges for electricity consumption, which is controlled and metered through peak meters. If the peak demand exceeds the contracted capacity, a penalty charge is applied to the exceeded amount, which is up to ten times the basic rate. In this article, we present several solutions for entrepreneurs based on the implementation of two-stage and deep learning approaches to predict maximal load values and the moments of exceeding the contracted capacity in the short term, i.e., up to one month ahead. The forecast is further used to optimize the capacity volume to be contracted in the following month to minimize network charge for exceeding the contracted level. As confirmed experimentally with two datasets, the application of a multiple output forecast artificial neural network model and a genetic algorithm (two-stage approach) for load optimization delivers significant benefits to customers. As an alternative, the same benefit is delivered with a deep learning architecture (hybrid approach) to predict the maximal capacity demands and, simultaneously, to determine the optimal capacity contract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is one of the important environmental problems in Poland. The main cause of its occurrence is emissions associated with individual heating of buildings. The reduction of the primary energy demand in a building is influenced by its proper thermal modernization, including in particular insulating. In view of the above, this article presents the results of studies on the possible environmental benefits of thermal modernization of single-family houses for the area of Southern Poland. The analysis was limited to determining the impact of measures to reduce air pollution emissions by insulating the building envelope of single-family houses. The research was conducted for two voivodeships: Śląskie and Małopolskie. Its aim is to identify the financial costs and achievable ecological effects of the thermal modernization of single-family buildings. The geographical selection of the research area was based on the fact that it covers the most polluted region in Poland. This region is characterized by many features that influence poor air quality. Among these features, the most important are: diversified building structure, a diverse topography, and very high population density. To limit multiple variables, we have selected a scenario method that has already been used in similar research. Four scenarios were established to show the relationship between the value of emission reductions and the level of funding for thermal modernization. The analysis allows a comparison of the effectiveness of individual variants and the transposition of their results into the possibilities of action in the region. This research will help to supplement the knowledge of the impact of insulating building envelopes on reducing pollutant emissions by reducing the energy demand of a building. They also identify a possible link between the level of this reduction and the grant amount for thermal modernization. As a result, it was found that a high share of external funding—stimulating the tendency of the inhabitants of the analyzed voivodeships to effective thermal modernization, and thus reducing the buildings' energy consumption—has a significant impact on the improvement of air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the authors analyzed two extreme investment variants considering the installed capacity of Poland's residential pv installation: (a) pv installation meets electricity demand only in the first year of operation, and in each subsequent year it is necessary to purchase electricity at market prices; (b) installation meets electricity demand even in the last year of operation, and in each previous year, the excess of generated electricity needs to be transferred back to the grid, with the limited (by law) right of drawing it from the grid for free in the future. In the article, a sensitivity analysis was performed, and profitability changes were established based on the NPV value, depending on case (a) or (b). The performed analyses showed that the pv installation profitability should not be analyzed, assuming only one moment when it meets 100% of the household's electricity demand. It was shown that the choice of such a moment, depending on the value of particular technical and financial parameters, can lead to a change in the NPV value, even over 10%. Although the studies were done for Poland, such an approach can be implemented in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for clean energy is a key global issue requiring global ideas to be implemented through local action. This is particularly important in Poland's energy transition, since the country produces energy mainly from conventional sources, i.e., coal, gas, and crude oil. Adverse climate change caused by high emissions of the economy based on the combustion of hydrocarbons as well as the growing public awareness have made it necessary to look for new environmentally friendly energy sources. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate that the use of alternative energy sources, biomass in particular, is compatible with sustainable development policy. Eight indicators for the EU-28 and for Poland were analysed in order to verify the progress in modifying the energy mix between 2010 and 2018 in the context of implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis showed that both in the EU-28 and in Poland, the aggregated indicator taking into account the positive and negative change in the values of individual indicators improved between 2010 and 2018. In the EU-28, this indicator is higher (180.1) than in Poland (152.3). The lower value for Poland is mainly due to the fact that the main source of energy in Poland remains hard coal and lignite. However, the noticeable increase in recent years in the share of energy from renewable sources, biomass included, allows us to look with hope to a rapidly growing indicator measuring progress towards a sustainable development goal, and to improving environmental standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the research of optimization of road lighting energy consumption by utilizing the fact of human twilight and night vision (mesopic vision) dependency on luminance level and lamp's light spectral composition. The research was conducted for a suburban street illuminated by smart LED road luminaires with a luminous flux control system with which different luminance levels can be achieved on the road. This road is an access road leading to a town located on the outskirts of Warsaw which is the capital of Poland and a large metropolitan area. Therefore, the traffic here is quite heavy on this road in the morning and in the evening and it is very light at other times of the day. In accordance with EN 13201 standard, lighting control can be applied to illuminate this road. This paper compares energy consumption for different lighting scenarios of the road in question. In the first scenario, the road luminance is compliant with M4, M5, and M6 lighting class requirements depending on the time of the day. In the second scenario, for each M lighting class, the values of luminance levels provided by EN 13201 standard have been reduced to the values resulting from their conversion to the corresponding mesopic luminance values. The conducted research has shown that a 15% saving per year in electricity consumption on the road is possible with such a conversion. Therefore, energy efficiency of a lighting installation can be improved by matching the lighting levels provided by the standard to the mesopic vision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrification of powertrain systems offers numerous advantages in the global trend in vehicular applications. A wide range of energy sources and zero-emission propulsion in the tank to wheel significantly add to electric vehicles' (EV) attractiveness. This paper presents analyses of the energy balance between micro-photovoltaic (PV) installation and small electric vehicle in real conditions. It is based on monitoring PV panel's energy production and car electricity consumption. The methodology included energy data from real household PV installation (the most common renewable energy source in Poland), electric vehicle energy consumption during real driving conditions, and drivetrain operating parameters, all collected over a period of one year by indirect measuring. A correlation between energy produced by the micro-PV installation and small electric car energy consumption was described. In the Winter, small electric car energy consumption amounted to 14.9 kWh per 100 km and was 14% greater than summer, based on test requirements of real driving conditions. The 4.48 kW PV installation located in Poznań produced 4101 kWh energy in 258 days. The calculation indicated 1406 kWh energy was available for EV charging after household electricity consumption subtraction. The zero-emission daily distance analysis was done by the simplified method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]