The Use of Renewable Energy Sources in Households in Poland—Current Status and Prospects for the Development of Energy Prosumption

Abstract

This article aimed to assess the use of renewable energy sources (RES) in households in Poland in the context of the Statistics Poland (GUS) research and our survey research. In addition, plans for using renewable energy sources and the willingness of respondents to spend money for this purpose were examined. At the beginning of this article, a theoretical approach to the household as an energy prosumer was presented, and the structure of obtaining energy from RES in Poland was shown. Then, the survey research methodology was presented, including the selection of the sample and the purpose of the survey. The next part of this article concerns the characteristics of the respondents and the buildings they inhabit, as well as statistics on RES used in the surveyed households. The research shows that 12% of the surveyed population was an energy prosumer, and 22% were interested in and planning to invest in RES. Only half of the respondents were ready to spend their money on micro-installations. The results were presented using the documentary and comparative methods. This article uses data from Statistics Poland (GUS) and our survey research conducted among 1112 representatives of households in Poland.

1. Introduction

Currently, in the process of consumption of society, there are changes in both quantitative and qualitative nature related to both the ways of satisfying needs and changes in the scope of value systems, which is characterized by a high degree of intensity of phenomena such as, e.g., ecologization, servitization, and deconsumption. An essential aspect of this issue is ecological awareness [1]. Environmental awareness issues are significant because household members shape and protect the natural environment; therefore, the higher the ecological awareness, the greater the involvement in environmental protection [2]. Undoubtedly, the values of the natural environment are a factor that affects the quality of life of farm members. To improve the quality of life and, at the same time, the quality of the natural environment, farms increasingly use renewable energy sources.

Coal-fired thermal power plants have not been and will not be able to meet the country’s energy demand in the face of increasing climate change. A practical solution to the existing problem is the diversification of energy sources and investments in distributed, renewable energy sources. Additionally, a factor that can increase the energy security of citizens is generating electricity for their own needs at the place of its consumption, i.e., in households.

An example of a new consumer trend is presumption—the intertwining of consumption and production processes in connection with consumers simultaneously becoming producers. The term “prosumer” refers to producers and consumers of energy. An example of such activities is, among others, energy production as part of the use of renewable energy sources in home micro-installations [3]. Prosumer energy is one in which the recipient of energy is both its producer and consumer. By producing heat or electricity for their own needs, the prosumer can transfer any surplus to other recipients [4].

This article aimed to assess the use of renewable energy sources (RES) in households in Poland in the context of the Statistics Poland (GUS) research and our survey research. In addition, plans for using renewable energy sources and the willingness of respondents to spend money for this purpose were examined. The study’s novelty was discussing the concept of an energy prosumer from a microeconomic perspective, i.e., using the example of a household and indicating the benefits of being an energy prosumer. Recently, the number of micro-installations used in households has been increasing. The authors looked at the scale of this phenomenon on a sample of 1112 households in the context of plans and the willingness to use their funds or take advantage of subsidies. This article presents the use of RES in households in Poland according to Statistics Poland and then discusses the results of our survey, in which respondents were asked about the use of RES in the household.

This study’s implications are primarily a background for the energy policy objectives, where programs and projects for households that could become energy prosumers are established nationally.

The intentions for future research include extending the research to include the opinion of RES users after several or a dozen or so years of using RES, which could contribute to improving the adaptation of the energy infrastructure in Poland to the development of prosumer energy policy.

This article includes an introduction, a literature review, research results, and a summary. The introduction consists of the justification for the choice of the topic, the aim of this article, the novelty of the research, the scope of this article, practical implications, and future intentions. The literature review section presents the concept of an energy prosumer, the essence of developing this phenomenon for the national economy, and the household benefits. According to Statistics Poland and the survey, the research results present the use of RES in households in Poland.

2. Literature Review

The word “prosumer” is a combination of two words: “producer” and “consumer”. The initiator of the name prosumer was Alvin Toffler [5] in the book The Third Wave. Toffler claims that consumers will produce more goods and services for their consumption in the future.

Prosumer energy is not a new phenomenon in the world. Its dynamic development is observed in an increasing number of countries in Europe and around the world, including India [6], China [7], Ethiopia [8], France [9], Bangladesh [10], Ireland [11], and many other examples. The use of renewable sources by households in Poland appears in the research of Graczyk [12], Zalega [13], Ropuszyńska-Surma and Węglarz (2018) [14], Piekut and Valentukevičienė [15], and Gorka [16].

The prosumer is playing an increasingly important role in the economy as the world transitions to a more sustainable energy system. Prosumers contribute significantly to creating sustainable energy systems by generating and distributing energy, increasing resource sharing, and promoting positive behavioral changes across countries [17]. Prosumers have the opportunity to be energy independent, which can lead to more excellent economic stability. Prosumers, by generating energy, reduce their dependence on non-renewable energy sources, which may be unstable or subject to price volatility due to various market factors [18]. In addition, economic factors are of great importance as they can save on energy costs; this is due to the falling prices of solar panels or wind turbines, which means that renewable energy technologies are becoming more competitive [19,20]. Due to growing concerns about climate change, the need for sustainable energy sources, and energy security, being a prosumer is becoming more and more popular [21]. Prosumer installations used for energy production do not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during their operation (supporting a low-emission economy), which allows for reducing the carbon footprint of prosumers [22]. In addition, prosumer-based systems can help increase energy security, reduce dependence on traditional energy sources, and promote local economic development [23].

Being a prosumer is part of a sustainable development strategy, so in addition to environmental and economic benefits, we can observe many social elements [24]. Prosumers contribute to developing more sustainable and resilient communities by participating in renewable energy production that works together to develop and maintain renewable energy infrastructure [25]. The research also considers social issues related to the use of renewable energy sources and their acceptance [26,27,28] or the behavior of energy consumers in households [29,30,31].

Other studies show that using renewable energy improves residents’ quality of life. Siedlecka and Grąszko [32] proved that in the subjective opinion of respondents, the vast majority felt that the quality of life improved in connection with the use of renewable energy installations. This was mainly related to the economic and non-economic dimension (related to time, savings, and comfort). In the context of financial benefits, the most frequently mentioned was the reduction in costs associated with fuel and electricity.

Prosumers can help stabilize the electricity grid. When prosumers produce more energy than they use, they can feed the excess energy back into the grid. This can help stabilize the grid, especially during periods of peak demand [33,34]. A modern prosumer is an active participant in the energy market who uses devices for storing and managing energy in the household but also responds to price incentives in order to optimize the amount of their bills using the net-billing system. Prosumers can also help reduce the need for costly grid upgrades by providing local energy sources. Prosumer-led renewable energy growth could lead to job creation [35]. As more households and businesses adopt renewable energy technologies, the demand for installing, maintaining, and manufacturing these technologies will increase. This could create jobs in these areas, contributing to a growing green economy [36]. Shortly, companies will also need to be established to recycle used photovoltaic panel components.

Prosumers can share excess energy with other prosumers to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce the economic impact of energy storage systems (ESS) and generation costs. However, to further increase the use of renewable energy, there is a need for a more efficient energy trading mechanism. One potential solution is implementing a microgrid-based approach on campuses, which could help reduce operating costs [23].

It is worth noting that prosumers can stimulate innovation in the energy sector. This is because the development of prosumer energy creates demand for new technologies, which in turn leads to the stimulation of innovation and technological progress in the energy sector. Prosumers help mitigate climate change by reducing their carbon footprint and contributing to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. [37]. This has important economic implications, as climate change could have significant economic costs, such as damage to infrastructure and agricultural productivity [38].

Prosumer energy plays an important role in the decarbonization of the economy in the context of environmental protection and economic changes. It aims to reduce or completely eliminate CO₂ production by increasing the share of renewable energy sources instead of intensive exploitation of fossil fuels, i.e., oil, hard coal, and lignite [39,40].

Many researchers emphasize the importance of developing renewable energy production in rural areas based on local sources. In this way, the role of biomass was noted both in the context of sustainable development, achieving energy security (including greater self-sufficiency), and providing an alternative source of income for rural communities [41,42].

With the growing share of renewable energy sources in the energy system, managing the variability and intermittency of these energy sources becomes increasingly important [43]. Prosumers can help integrate renewables into the energy system by providing local energy sources, reducing the need for costly grid upgrades, and feeding energy back into the grid when they generate more energy than they use. By adopting energy-efficient technologies and reducing overall energy consumption, prosumers can lessen the demand for energy production, including renewables. This can help reduce the environmental impact of energy production and contribute to decarbonizing the economy [44].

As scientific research shows, prosumers can contribute to the development of energy communities. Energy communities are groups of people or organizations cooperating to produce, store, and consume energy. By creating energy communities, prosumers can work together to maximize the use of renewable energy and reduce the impact of energy production on the environment. [45,46]. Prosumers can help grow renewables, integrate renewables into the energy system, reduce energy consumption, and contribute to developing energy communities. As the world transitions to a more sustainable energy system, the role of prosumers and renewables will become increasingly crucial in decarbonizing the economy [47,48]. Renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly widely used in households, as evidenced by many international studies [49,50,51,52,53].

In recent years, prosumer activity in the context of sustainable development and environmental protection has been gaining momentum. In the long term, there is a noticeable change in the behavior of energy prosumers, including energy saving, improving energy efficiency, and using renewable energy sources in the household [54,55]. Energy prosumers are divided into individual, collective, SMEs, and public organizations [56]. The respondents in our study are individual energy prosumers.

Renewable energy sources are becoming an increasingly important part of the energy mix in Poland. As a member of the European Union, Poland has committed to increasing its share of renewable energy. The climate and energy policy of the European Union (EU) has a significant impact on shaping the national energy strategy, including its long-term vision of achieving EU climate neutrality by 2050 and regulatory mechanisms stimulating the achievement of effects in the coming decades. Implementing the EU’s climate and energy targets for 2020 and 2030 is crucial for the low-emission energy transformation. In connection with the implementation of the EU’s ambitions for decarbonization, in December 2020, the European Council approved a binding EU target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. This increased the previously applicable 40% reduction target [57].

The Energy Policy of Poland until 2040 (EPP2040) sets the framework for the energy transformation in Poland. The state’s energy policy aims to ensure the economy’s competitiveness, energy efficiency, and reduce the impact of the energy sector on the environment while optimally using its energy resources. The following indicators were adopted as the global measure of the implementation of the EPP2040 goal [57]:

• No more than 56% of coal in electricity generation in 2030.
• At least 23% RES in gross final energy consumption in 2030.
• Implementation of nuclear power in 2033.
• Reduction in GHG emissions by 30% by 2030 (compared to 1990).
• Reduction in primary energy consumption by 23% by 2030 (compared to PRIMES forecasts from 2007).

In addition, one of the critical elements of EPP2040 is the assumption that by 2040, the heating needs of all households will be covered by district heating and by zero- or low-emission individual sources. Several activities will also be aimed at improving air quality, and these include, among others, the development of district heating, a low-emission direction of transformation of individual sources (heat pumps, electric heating), abandoning coal combustion in households (by 2030 in cities, by 2040 in rural areas by 2040), or increasing the energy efficiency of buildings [57].

The share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption has reached high values mainly in Sweden, Finland, Latvia, and Denmark (Figure 1). The share in most countries of Central and Western Europe is in the range of 20–30%, while the average for the European Union is 23%. Poland has the seventh lowest share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption, at 16.9%. Differences between countries are primarily the result of different approaches to renewable energy (which may be reflected in the energy policy of a given country, access to natural resources, or investments in renewable energy technologies).

Considering renewable sources, primary energy in Poland was mainly obtained from solid biofuels (Figure 2). Other essential sources were wind energy, liquid biofuels, and solar energy. This structure was similar to the structure in the European Union, with the difference that in the European Union, the third highest share in the structure is characterized by water energy (which has a relatively marginal share in Poland). Moreover, the dominant solid biofuels constitute almost two-thirds of the structure in Poland, while in the European Union, they constitute two-fifths. In Poland, the structure of obtaining primary energy from renewable sources was more concentrated, while in the European Union, the energy mix from renewable sources was more diversified.

In 2018–2022, the production of electricity from renewable energy sources showed a growing trend, mainly due to the increase in the production of energy from wind, which is the result of the development of wind energy in Poland, and the rapid growth of photovoltaics, which is the effect of support programs for photovoltaics, the drop in panel prices, and the growing environmental awareness (

Table 1. Production of electricity from renewable energy carriers (GWh).

Specification	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Wind	12,798.8	15,106.8	15,800.0	16,233.5	19,779.5
Solar photovoltaic	300.5	710.7	1957.9	3934.4	8309.7
Solid biofuels	5333.2	6441.2	6932.8	6398.4	5934.1
Hydro energy	1970.0	1958.4	2118.3	2339.2	1968.2
Biogas	1127.6	1135.0	1233.9	1307.3	1394.2
Municipal waste	85.0	104.8	181.8	353.8	301.6
Bioliquids	2.0	2.0	1.9	1.7	1.3

Source: author’s research based on [60].

). On the other hand, the most significant declines in electricity production occurred in the case of water energy use (which is the result of limited possibilities of developing hydropower in Poland) and the combustion of solid biomass.

In 2018–2022, wind energy dominated the renewable energy mix in electricity production. However, its share decreased slightly despite the increase in electricity production from this carrier (Figure 3). The most dynamic growth was observed in photovoltaics (its share increased from 1% to 22% in the period under review). Energy from photovoltaic cells increased over 27.6-fold in the period under review, while wind energy increased only 1.5-fold. The relative stability of the share of hydropower and biogas in electricity production was also observed.

Solid biofuels dominated heat production from renewable energy sources throughout the analyzed period. The decrease in their share in the period 2018–2022 was slight and amounted to 1.2 percentage points, while on average, in the analyzed period, it amounted to 89% (Figure 4). On the other hand, the renewable carrier for which the most significant increase in the share was observed was municipal waste (in 2022, their share was 6.7%, while in 2018 it was 3.2%). The opposite situation is observed in the case of the use of biogas, the share of which in heat production decreased from 6.2% in 2018 to 3.9% in 2022. The total share of liquid biofuels and heat pumps in the analyzed period did not exceed 0.1%. In Poland, traditional sources still dominate the heat production from renewable energy sources, but changes towards greater diversification of production through the increased use of municipal waste and heat pumps are also visible.

In Polish households, the most commonly used energy carrier was renewable energy sources and biofuels, with a share of 26.5%. Photovoltaic installations or biomass boilers are becoming increasingly popular in Poland due to greater consumer awareness of environmental protection and government policy that supports the development of renewable energy sources through projects and subsidies for such purposes. The share of natural gas at 20.9% results from the relatively developed gas network in Poland and the popularity of gas heating in cities and suburbs. Fossil fuels still constitute a high share; as much as 19.8% of houses are heated, among others, with coal. In urban areas, district heating is used for heating (17.5%). The consumption of renewable energy sources and biofuels remained stable in the period under review, with a significant increase in 2018. Throughout the entire period under review, the consumption of solid fossil fuels decreased gradually, while the consumption of natural gas remained relatively stable with minor fluctuations. The data presented in Figure 5 show the slow but visible energy transformation taking place in Polish households—from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

The leading energy carriers in Polish households in 2021 were solid biomass, hard coal, and natural gas (Figure 6). This situation differs significantly from that in the European Union, where the leading energy carriers were natural gas (33.5%), electricity (24.6%), and solid biomass (17.3%). Since the average electricity production from emission-free sources in 2021 accounted for about 14% of the total electricity production [62], it can be stated that the use of RES in households in Poland accounted for about 24%. The differences between Poland and the European Union have mainly been due to the availability of energy resources (hard coal, brown coal) or the country’s energy policy to date. Nevertheless, these differences highlight Poland’s challenges in energy transformation and adaptation to EU standards in sustainable development and CO₂ emission reduction.

Table 2. The use of energy carriers for heating purposes in households in Poland.

Energy Carriers	Use of Energy Carriers (in %)
	For Heating the Apartment	For Water Heating	For Cooking
Electricity	2.1	19.7	82.0
District heating	52.2	X	X
District hot water	X	41.1	X
Natural gas	13.9	24.7	52.7
Liquefied gas	0.7	1.1	30.5
Fuel oil	0.3	0.2	X
Coal	16.5	13.2	0.5
Lignite	0.4	0.1	0.0
Coke	0.2	0.1	X
Fuelwood	11.3	11.9	1.4
Other types of biomass	1.9	1.4	0.0
Solar energy	0.1	2.5	X
Heat pump	0.6	0.5	X

Source: author’s research based on [63].

reflects the specificity of the Polish energy infrastructure and household preferences. District heating, hard coal, natural gas, and firewood are mainly used for heating apartments. In the case of water heating, the same carriers are mainly used. In the case of cooking meals, over four-fifths of households declare that they use electricity and gas (in the form of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas) for this purpose. Other renewable energy carriers, such as solar energy or heat pumps, are not used in Polish households for heating apartments and water.

3. Materials and Methods

This article aimed to assess renewable energy sources (RES) use in Poland and among the surveyed household population. The specific aim was to determine the willingness of the surveyed households to invest in RES. For this purpose, data from Statistics Poland and survey research were used. This study was carried out in July 2022 using the diagnostic survey method using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) technique among 1112 adult respondents selected in a non-random manner—quota sampling according to Statistics Poland (criteria: age, gender, place of residence, and education). The survey included a personal data sheet and a number of questions about the use of renewable energy sources in the household. The questions concerned the socio-economic characteristics of households and the use of renewable energy sources in the household. The survey included single-choice and multiple-choice questions. The household was selected as the research unit for the study because it is a common and most durable economic entity, the primary purpose of which is to meet the individual and shared consumption needs of the people in the household, in particular the basic needs, including heating. This article uses the documentation method and the comparative method. The analysis of the obtained data was carried out using Microsoft Excel, Poland.

In the analyzed research sample, women (52%) and men (48%) were almost equally represented. The largest group were respondents over the age of 65. Their number was 250 people, constituting 22% of the research sample. The smallest group in this study were people aged 18–24, equating to 9% of the studied population.

Details regarding the social and demographic characteristics of the respondents, and, in particular the variables described in the study describing households, were included in

Table 3. Summary of sociodemographic variables in the study sample.

Variable	Value	n 1	%
Sex	Men	537	48.29
	Woman	575	51.71
Place of residence	Village	401	36.06
	City with up to 20,000 inhabitants	245	22.03
	City with 20,001 to 99,999 inhabitants	158	14.21
	City with 100,000 to 499,999 inhabitants	155	13.94
	City with over 500,000 inhabitants	153	13.76
Age	18–24 years old	86	7.73
	25–34 years old	183	16.46
	35–44 years old	226	20.32
	45–54 years old	176	15.83
	55–64 years old	198	17.81
	65+ years old	243	21.85
Education	Elementary school	36	3.24
	Junior high school	21	1.89
	Vocational school	287	25.81
	High school	410	36.87
	University	358	32.19
Income	up to PLN 1000	120	10.79
	from PLN 1001 to PLN 2000	340	30.58
	from PLN 2001 to PLN 5000	563	50.63
	from PLN 5001 to PLN 8000	71	6.38
	above PLN 8000	18	1.62

¹ n = 1112.

.

4. Results

Taking into account the scope of research related to the type of heat sources used in households, respondents were asked about the type of building they lived in and its ownership status. Moreover, 46.8% of respondents lived in multi-family buildings, 46.5% in detached single-family houses, and 6.7% of respondents lived in terraced or semi-detached single-family houses (

Table 4. Respondents’ answers to questions about the building they inhabit.

Specification	%
Type of residential building
Multi-family building (e.g., apartment block)	46.8
Single-family detached house	46.5
Single-family house in a terraced or semi-detached building	6.7
Ownership status of the property
I am the owner or co-owner	62.0
A member of my family is the owner or co-owner	25.2
I rent	12.8

Source: author’s research.

).

Respondents were asked to indicate what type of fuel/energy is used to heat rooms in their household, and it was possible to indicate more than one heat source (

Table 5. Type of fuel/energy used for heating rooms in surveyed households.

Specification	%
Fuelwood	32.6
Coal (coal dust)	25.7
Local heating network	25.0
Natural gas from the network	20.8
Electricity from the network	12.0
Eco-pea coal	10.2
Brushwood/branches	10.0
Solar energy	6.0
Coal briquettes	5.9
Pellet fuel/woodchips	5.1
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)	3.6
Ambient energy/heat pump	2.9
Other types of fuel	2.3
Fuel oil	1.8
Coke	1.7
Other types of biomass	0.5

Source: author’s research.

). The respondents most often indicated fuelwood (32.6%), coal (25.7%), local heating network (25%), natural gas from the network (12%), eco-pea coal (10.2%), and brushwood/branches (10%). Traditional methods of heating rooms still dominate due to the easy availability of coal and wood in many regions of Poland and their relatively low prices. On the other hand, developed heating and gas networks in cities affect the high share of central heating systems.

For water heating (

Table 6. Type of fuel/energy used for heating water in surveyed households.

Specification	%
Natural gas from the network	24.1
Electricity from the network	21.0
Local heating network	20.2
Fuelwood	19.1
Coal (coal dust)	15.7
Solar energy	7.6
Eco-pea coal	6.4
Brushwood/branches	6.2
Pellet fuel/woodchips	4.1
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)	3.3
Ambient energy/heat pump	3.3
Coal briquettes	3.1
Other types of fuel	2.4
Fuel oil	1.9
Coke	1.1
Other types of biomass	0.5

Source: author’s research.

), respondents most often declared the use of natural gas from the network (24.1%), electricity from the network (21%), local heating network (20.2%), firewood (19.1%), or coal (15.7%). Developed gas and electricity networks in cities facilitate using these energy sources. Moreover, water heating using these energy carriers is usually more efficient and convenient compared to, among others, solid fuels. The popularity of solar collectors used for water heating is also noticeable. Despite this, the share of renewable sources in the surveyed population was small in water and home heating.

After indicating the space and water heating sources, the respondents were asked whether they had invested in renewable energy sources in their households in the last five years. Investments in renewable energy sources were made by 12.1% of households in the previous five years. Moreover, 18.5% stated that they could not install renewable energy sources because they did not own the flats or have the technical possibility of installing them (Figure 7).

Respondents also indicated the source of their RES investment (Figure 8). The most significant number of investments were photovoltaic installations (72%), followed by solar collectors (25%), heat pumps (17%), biomass boilers (8%), and domestic wind farms (3%). The dominance of photovoltaics resulted primarily from significant government support (e.g., the “Mój prąd” program) but also from growing ecological awareness and the desire to become dependent on rising energy prices. The popularity of solar collectors was related to the fact that they are a very good complement to other heating systems used in households. The small interest in domestic wind farms resulted from legal and administrative restrictions and potential problems related to noise and esthetics of the immediate vicinity.

Respondents indicated the total investment cost in renewable energy sources (Figure 9). The most significant number of investments (44%) fell from PLN 20,001 to PLN 40,000, followed by 42% of investments up to PLN 20,000. In addition, 9% of investments fell from PLN 40,001 to PLN 60,000, and 6% exceeded PLN 60,000. The dominance of investments up to PLN 40,000 reflects the popularity of photovoltaic installations, which often fall within this price range. In addition, it indicates the financial availability of renewable energy sources for the average household. A small share of more expensive investments may concern more advanced or complex systems (e.g., combining photovoltaics with a heat pump), but indicates that a minor part of society decides on more expensive but potentially more effective solutions. It is also possible that some investment costs are underestimated due to the failure to consider additional expenses (e.g., costs of modernizing the electrical installation).

Approximately half of households that invested in renewable energy sources took advantage of subsidies for renewable energy installations. These were subsidies in various amounts. The most significant percentage, 76% of respondents, took advantage of subsidies of up to PLN 10,000, 18% took advantage of subsidies from PLN 10,001 to PLN 20,000, and 6% received subsidies above PLN 20,001 (Figure 10).

Due to the dynamic development of prosumer photovoltaics, respondents were asked about their plans for investing in renewable energy sources in the next five years (Figure 11). Moreover, 11% of respondents declared that they were planning such an investment in the next five years, 23% indicated that they did not have the technical conditions to connect a renewable energy installation, 31% of respondents did not plan such an undertaking, and the largest group of respondents (35%) had no opinion on the subject. The low percentage of those planning investments could have resulted from investments already completed by some households (presented in Figure 8), but also from the financial constraints of many households or uncertainty about future legal regulations and support for renewable energy sources. The high percentage of those not planned and undecided resulted from the lack of sufficient knowledge about renewable energy sources and investment opportunities, as well as from waiting for the development of technology and potential cost reduction. Limitations resulting from the type of development, unfavorable geographical location, or outdated infrastructure of buildings and energy networks resulted in nearly one-fourth of respondents claiming they did not have the technical conditions to connect a RES installation.

The increase in society’s ecological awareness is associated with increased knowledge of renewable energy sources, the possibilities of obtaining them, and ways to reduce their consumption. The higher the level of ecological awareness, the more knowledge people have in this area, and the more willingly they use unconventional energy sources. Additionally, it should be pointed out that the motivating factor in the context of reducing energy consumption or using renewable energy sources is financial considerations; hence, the respondents were asked how much they were willing to spend on renewable energy sources (Figure 12). More than half of the respondents, as many as 56%, did not intend to pay their funds; 23% declared that they could spend up to PLN 5000; and 17% were willing to spend up to PLN 25,000. Only 2% indicated an amount of up to PLN 50,000. Only 1% of the surveyed households were willing to spend on an investment exceeding PLN 50,000. The high percentage of reluctant investors was related to many households’ financial constraints and the belief that the state should finance the energy transformation. The dominance of smaller investments (up to PLN 5000) resulted from the desire to take the “first step” towards renewable energy, which is most often associated with smaller installations or individual devices. A small percentage of more significant investments was related to the limited group of wealthier households interested in comprehensive renewable energy solutions.

Respondents were also asked about their plans for RES installations (Figure 13). Respondents indicated that 4% of them were in the process of implementing the installation (as of July 2022), 11% were planning to invest in RES shortly, and 46% of respondents were not planning but were initially interested in such an investment. As many as 39% of respondents had no plans for RES installations, as they declared they did not plan and were not interested in such an undertaking. This group could include, among others, households that do not have the technical conditions for installing RES installations, or it could be a group of respondents with the lowest income who cannot afford such investments.

5. Conclusions

This article presents the results of the conducted research, the aim of which was to obtain knowledge on the use of alternative energy sources by households for home heating and hot water production, as well as plans for RES installations. The conducted research shows that 12% of the surveyed population is an energy prosumer, and 22% of the surveyed population is interested in and planning to invest in renewable energy. Only half of the respondents are ready to invest their own funds in micro-installations. The most frequently chosen renewable energy installation is photovoltaic panels. Renewable energy prosumers play an essential role in Poland’s energy policy. If we consider the need to replace older, much less energy-efficient, and environmentally harmful heat sources used to heat homes, most of the surveyed population is willing to use RES, but on the condition of co-financing the investment. Therefore, financial support from the state is necessary at a level similar to that expected by respondents, which will increase the profitability of the investment. At the central level, a comprehensive model for the functioning of prosumer energy should be developed, defining ownership, economic, social, and competence relations. Such a model should be based on the development of renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and preventing energy poverty. Being a prosumer is associated with energy independence, which leads to economic stability and less dependence on traditional energy sources. The research results show that it is recommended to promote prosumers and encourage the use of pro-ecological energy as a priority for the economy. This initiative will reduce energy consumption in various areas, thus raising ecological awareness and a sense of environmental responsibility.

Prosumers contribute to energy independence, cost savings, grid stability, job creation, innovation, and environmental benefits. As the world continues to transition to a more sustainable energy system, the role of prosumers will become increasingly important.

The research implications are primarily focused on creating an energy policy at the national level that will define the framework and conditions for developing renewable energy sources among households and SMEs. Support for prosumer energy contributes to increasing the share of energy from renewable sources in the national energy market and supports the formation of pro-ecological attitudes in society.