The effects of ecological investments in the power industry and their financial structure: a case study for Poland

Almost 90 per cent of total electric energy produced in Poland derived from burning coal. Minimizing negative environmental impact is especially important when using lignite energy production. The paper presents ecological benefits of modern energy production methods. The evaluation of environmental benefits has been conducted in consistency with norms ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, with the assistance of assessments methods included in the SimaPro 7 software. The calculations were based on the assessment procedure of Ecoindicator 99. The method allows for estimating the environmental impact of each stage of the energy production process, especially when it comes to the impact category of fossil fuels. This aspect is particularly important for the study of the environmental impact of electricity production in Polish coal-fired power plants. The LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) has been carried out to examine the impact of electric energy production of one of the biggest power plants in Poland. The results show that modernization of energy blocks as well as the greenhouse gas reducing installations would significantly reduce the negative impact of the electric energy production.