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Purpose: The article aims to look at the development of the use of renewable energy sources in industry, in Poland compared to European countries. Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted on data from 34 European countries between 2010 and 2021 using dynamic analysis and multivariate analysis in the form of cluster analysis. Findings: Despite an overall upward trend, eleven countries saw a decline over the explored period. Countries where this development had just begun often increased the share of renewable energy in industry. On the other hand, some countries with slightly higher levels of this indicator initially did not show as much growth or even recorded a decrease. Originality/value: The value of the article is to present the development of the share of renewable energy in industry in Poland and 34 European countries. A comparison of Poland with other countries showed the existence of uneven growth rates and even declines in the countries studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the article was to present the problems of converting sewage sludge into energy in relation to the strategies and legal regulations in force in Poland. This publication is an attempt to identify the factors determining the use of sewage sludge as substrates for energy recovery. Design/methodology/approach: The scope of undertaken research included quantitative analysis of the generated sludge, qualitative analysis, in order to define the parameters constituting the possibility of its effective use in energetics, as well as identification and evaluation of key determinants influencing the choice of the method of sludge management. Findings: Thermal treatment of sewage sludge is one of the strategic management directions chosen for this kind of waste. Based on the analyses and evaluation of the presented technological solutions in the field of research, it was indicated that the key factor limiting the general use of sewage sludge as a fuel is an economic issue, especially in relation to the cost of sludge preparation. Originality/value: The implementation of increasingly restrictive requirements in the field of sludge management forces the sludge treatment plants to find new solutions in order to manage them efficiently. Due to the above, the paper presents the basic factors that determine the initiation of studies concerning the use of the energy potential of the generated sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses changes that occurred in production of renewable energy in EU countries in 2004-2017 with special focus on Poland. Forecasts of renewable energy shares in total gross energy consumption for 2020 were calculated for EU and individual member states to verify whether it is possible to achieve the goals determined in Europe 2020 strategy. It is probable that the goal for EU will be achieved, however, a lot of countries will face difficulties in meeting it, and some other countries simply have no chances to meet the goal. Unfortunately, Poland is among the last group of countries. There are also states that have achieved the goal determined for 2020 much earlier, for example Bulgaria, Estonia or Sweden. In the next step, development of the renewable energy share in final consumption in power industry, in heating and cooling, as well as in transport is analysed. Based on this, using the method of k-means, a group of countries that in 2004 and in 2017 were leaders in this sphere, but still have a lot to do to reach high level of share of renewable energy is identified. The group of leaders in 2004 and 2017 slightly changed. Estonia and Lithuania joined Denmark, Croatia, Latvia, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden. Poland still has a lot to do to reach the European level of renewable energy share, however the trend of renewable energy share that has been observed since 2012 is really alarming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Renewable energy sources (RES) are currently one of the most important global issues. Renewable energy refers to energy derived from natural, recurring natural processes from renewable non-fossil energy sources. Renewable energy sources (RES) are an alternative to traditional primary non-renewable energy carriers (fossil fuels). In Poland, approximately 75% of electricity is produced from coal - the highest percentage in the entire European Union. Due to the problems of the domestic mining industry and underinvestment in the energy sector, as well as EU regulations, energy from coal regularly becomes more expensive. Therefore, energy transformation is a very important issue, especially for SMEs, which play an important role in the economies of countries all over the world. The SME sector in Poland accounts for 99% of the total number of enterprises in Poland (according to GUS 2020). SMEs are a stimulator of economic development, and their number and potential can be one of the measures for assessing economic growth. Thanks to the use of renewable energy sources by the SME sector, including mainly photovoltaic panels, we can achieve a major energy transformation by supporting the concept of sustainable development economics (ESD), whose message is to ensure sufficiently high environmental, economic and socio-cultural standards for all people living today and future generations within the limits of the Earth's natural endurance, applying the principle of intra- and intergenerational equity. Companies, in response to the increasing expectations of their environment, are increasingly taking environmental management into account from a social and ecological perspective by implementing the concept of social responsibility (CSR). The primary objective of the research was to identify stimulants and barriers to the development of investments in photovoltaic panels in the SME sector and to assess their energy efficiency. Design/methodology/approach: In 2021, a survey was conducted, included in the quantitative research, and the obtained data were subjected to the analysis with statistical methods (CATI). The aim of the survey was to analyses the determinants of photovoltaic energy efficiency management in the sector of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Poland. Another part of the research carried out concerned the assessment of energy efficiency from photovoltaics in SME companies using the DEA model. Findings: A study identifying the stimulants and barriers to the development of investments in photovoltaic panels as the main source of renewable energy for the SME sector (technical, economic considerations) should contribute to the construction of an optimal support system, for example by subsidizing investments by at least 80%. Money is both a major barrier and can also be a major stimulant. Research has confirmed that SME companies that have already invested in photovoltaic energy are energy efficient, using the energy cost saving effect and actively pursuing a green CSR strategy achieving a competitive advantage. Originality/value: The value of the article is the research on the use of renewable energy sources, in particular the construction of an energy efficiency management model from photovoltaics in SMEs with the concept of CSR. The results are mainly aimed at managers of MSME enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The research objective of the work is to quantify the levels of profitability of a photovoltaic installation for a company from the clothing industry. The authors of the article answer the question of where and under what boundary conditions in Poland there is already economic justification for the construction of photovoltaic power plants producing energy for the needs of their own business activity. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted using the methods of models of economic measures. These methods allowed the authors to calculate the market value of the investment with the assumed boundary criteria and to determine the economic efficiency of the investment. In addition, the authors made an analysis of the energy consumption of the company's implementation of individual manufacturing processes. The research was carried out in the period 2020-2022 on the example of a real PV installation. Findings: Installing a photovoltaic system in production plants brings many benefits. It should be noted that each kWh produced in a PV installation makes the investor independent of the grid distributor, reduces the consumption of energy from conventional sources, minimizes the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere and favors economic development. In addition, investment in this type of installation allows for obtaining income from the sale of surplus energy produced. Practical implications: The presented models have shown that the project of their implementation is fully economically justified and will allow investors to make a rational investment decision. Originality/value: The contribution of this work is to obtain data that allowed the authors to indicate directions for improvement that may contribute to a more reliable assessment of the profitability of the tested installations. The proposed research can improve the planning of new industrial plants in terms of PV Installations as well as the redesign of existing ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]