Search Results (237)

This paper investigates how restrictive monetary policy impacts long-term strategic infrastructure financing under conditions of geopolitical fragmentation and supply-side inflationary pressures. The analysis focuses on Poland, a medium-sized European economy exposed to energy transition requirements, post-pandemic supply chain disruptions, and regional geopolitical instability. Using quarterly data for 2005Q1–2024Q2, the study employs a Structural Vector Autoregression (SVAR) model to evaluate the transmission of monetary policy shocks to inflation dynamics and sectoral credit allocation. The research examines bank lending directed toward infrastructure-intensive sectors, including energy, utilities, transport, and strategic industrial investments. Empirical results demonstrate that while monetary tightening contributes to a statistically significant reduction in inflationary pressures over the medium term, it simultaneously triggers unintended consequences. Specifically, higher policy rates are associated with a persistent contraction in long-term infrastructure-related credit volumes. Impulse response analysis reveals that this decline in strategic infrastructure financing is disproportionately stronger and more enduring than the drop observed in aggregate corporate lending. These findings highlight asymmetric monetary transmission effects across investment categories. Consequently, the paper suggests implementing targeted macroprudential and liquidity-support instruments to protect strategic sectors without compromising inflation stabilization objectives. Full article

Reducing carbon emissions has become a central objective of sustainable development policies as countries seek to address the environmental challenges associated with climate change and resource depletion. In this context, circular economy practices and energy transition policies have emerged as key mechanisms for achieving environmental sustainability. This study examines the determinants of carbon emissions within the framework of the circular economy and energy transition for selected Central and Eastern European countries (Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Slovenia) over the period 2010–2024. Using panel data analysis, the study incorporates key variables including circular economy, economic growth, recycling, renewable energy consumption, and urbanization. To enhance the reliability of the empirical estimates, panel unit root tests, the Hausman specification test, fixed-effects estimation, and Driscoll–Kraay robust standard errors are employed to address heteroskedasticity, serial correlation, and cross-sectional dependence. The results indicate that improvements in circular economy practices together with greater renewable energy use are associated with lower carbon emissions, providing empirical support for the proposed hypotheses. Recycling activities are found to increase emissions in the short run, indicating energy-intensive processes. In contrast, the effects of economic growth and urbanization are found to be context-dependent, providing only partial support for the related hypotheses. Overall, the results highlight that carbon emission dynamics are shaped by a complex interaction of economic, structural, and environmental factors, and that policy effectiveness depends on country-specific conditions. By focusing on transition economies in Central and Eastern Europe, this study extends the existing literature through an integrated panel data analysis of circular economy and energy transition policies and offers policy-relevant evidence for the region. Full article

Progressive climate change and growing energy demand are increasing the importance of renewable energy sources, including hydropower, particularly in regions with favourable hydrological conditions. This study aims to assess development characteristics and the feasibility of determining the hydropower potential of the Radunia River in northern Poland, taking environmental conditions into account. The study employed a hydrological–energy approach based on long-term flow data analysis, the section method, and calculations of water flow power, supplemented by analyses of flow duration curves and differential integral curves. The Radunia River is an example of a lowland watercourse with a relatively high hydroelectric potential for northern Poland, resulting from a favourable combination of hydrological and environmental factors. The results indicate a marked variation in hydropower potential along the river’s course, with the potential concentrated in the middle and lower reaches, where the highest flows and gradients occur. The calculated total potential is approximately 7.07 MW, and annual energy production exceeds 61.9 GWh, with actual production in the existing cascade system of power stations being close to the theoretical values. At the same time, accounting for environmental constraints results in a slight reduction in potential (less than 1%), underscoring the importance of a sustainable approach. The conclusions indicate that the Radunia River is an example of the effective use of water resources, and that the further development of hydropower should be based on the modernisation of existing infrastructure using new environmental technologies, whilst complying with environmental protection requirements. Full article

The low-carbon transition depends not only on technologies and regulation, but also on how employees interpret and enact organizational environmental commitments. This study examines whether carbon anxiety—employees’ perception of organization-focused uncertainty and insufficient preparedness regarding carbon accounting, emissions reduction, reporting, and operational adaptation—and perceived regulatory pressure are associated with employee green behavior (EGB) through psychological contract fulfillment for the environment (PCFE), and whether pro-environmental consciousness strengthens the PCFE–EGB association. Using a cross-sectional computer-assisted web interview survey of 857 employees in Poland’s energy sector, the proposed second-stage moderated mediation model was tested with structural equation modeling and bootstrap analysis. Carbon anxiety and regulatory pressure were positively associated with psychological contract fulfillment for the environment, which was positively associated with employee green behavior. Pro-environmental consciousness strengthened the psychological contract fulfillment for the environment–behavior relationship, and both conditional indirect associations increased at higher pro-environmental consciousness levels. The model explained 33.2% of the variance in psychological contract fulfillment for the environment and 37.1% in employee green behavior; the main pattern remained stable across robustness and subsector analyses. The observed associations support psychological contract fulfillment for the environment as a theoretically specified relational mechanism linking transition pressures with the employee-level implementation of decarbonization. Given the cross-sectional design, the results indicate associations rather than causal effects. Organizations should translate transition pressures into credible environmental commitments, workforce capabilities, transparent communication, and meaningful employee participation. Full article

Poland’s energy transition represents a structurally complex case of decarbonization in a coal-dependent economy, where declining hard coal consumption, increasing renewable energy production, growing natural gas use, and continued economic expansion interact within the same energy–economic system. This study assesses the evolution of emission pressure in Poland between 2000 and 2023 using a Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Evaluation (FMCE) framework. The analysis integrates four system-level variables: gross domestic product, hard coal consumption, natural gas consumption, and renewable electricity production, the latter transformed into an inverse fuzzy variable representing insufficient renewable energy penetration. The FMCE-based emission pressure index was constructed using min–max normalization, continuous fuzzy membership degrees, weighted aggregation, and component-level decomposition. The results show that Poland’s emission pressure was highest in the early phase of the analyzed period, especially in 2000–2007, when the energy system remained strongly shaped by coal dependence. The years 2008–2013 formed an unstable transitional phase, while 2014–2018 showed a more stable moderate-pressure configuration. After 2018, the index declined markedly, indicating a shift toward lower emission pressure; however, only selected years reached the formal low-pressure category, which suggests that a stable low-emission regime has not yet been fully established. The decomposition confirms that hard coal was the dominant contributor to emission pressure for most of the period, although its relative contribution declined over time. Renewable energy development increasingly weakened emission pressure, while natural gas played an ambiguous transitional role by partly replacing coal but maintaining fossil-fuel dependence. The study contributes to energy-transition research by proposing an interpretable fuzzy composite index for tracking structural emission pressure over time. The findings underline the need for continued coal phase-down, accelerated renewable energy integration, grid modernization, and careful governance of natural gas as a transitional fuel in Poland’s pathway toward a lower-emission energy system. Full article

Digital twins (DTs) in the energy sector are operational-data-driven models of assets, installations, and networks. Their value grows alongside renewable expansion, electronic communications, and stricter resilience requirements for critical infrastructure. This study evaluates DT applications in Poland’s energy transition, identifying regulatory and cybersecurity determinants required for safe, scalable use. The methodology combines an international literature review, regulatory assessment, and qualitative desk research focusing on DT projects across four Polish energy groups: Enea, Energa, PGE, and Tauron. Each case is assessed using a DT maturity and governance framework covering scope, data coupling, decision support, and security posture. The study identifies four primary deployment types: (1) operational network twins for distribution system operators leveraging SCADA/ADMS, GIS, and state estimation; (2) AI-driven asset performance twins for wind turbines and CHP plants; (3) flexibility twins for hydropower system services; and (4) immersive training twins for the offshore wind sector. Main constraints include data quality, interoperability, fragmented data access regulations, and expanded cyber-attack surfaces from OT/IT convergence. DTs aid spatial planning, mitigating location and land use conflicts. Recommendations emphasize harmonized data governance, cybersecurity-by-design, special determinants, and the creation of regulatory sandboxes to support DT implementation within critical energy infrastructure. Full article

Medium-voltage distribution networks are an important element of the global power system, being responsible for the distribution of electrical energy from transformer stations to local points of delivery and to transformer stations of lower voltage levels. The reliability of the operation of these networks has a direct impact on the continuity of energy supply and the level of unmet energy demand in the power system. The article presents a reliability analysis of a selected segment of a medium-voltage distribution network located in northern Poland. In this study, a probabilistic model of the operation process based on an eight-state graph describing successive levels of technical degradation of the analyzed network was applied. Transitions between the states of the model were described by failure intensities and restoration intensities of the system elements. On the basis of the Kolmogorov–Chapman state equations, the probabilities of the system being in particular operational states were determined. The results obtained were then used to assess the energy-related consequences of failures by linking state probabilities with the share of unmet energy demand. The analysis conducted enabled the identification of the most critical elements of the analyzed network structure and the determination of their impact on the energy supply capability of the distribution network. The obtained results may constitute a basis for planning operational activities, maintenance strategies, and modernization processes of medium-voltage distribution networks. Full article

This paper examines the costs and benefits of decarbonisation policy in the Polish energy generation sector. Accordingly, the analysis focuses on the costs of transforming the national energy mix up to 2050, as well as the environmental benefits associated with reducing emissions from electricity and district heating generation. The study addresses the question of which energy production structures are optimal at different levels of global warming costs, given the uncertainty surrounding the magnitude of human impact on the climate. The results indicate that relatively low SCC justify only a limited optimal reduction in CO₂ emissions. Full decarbonisation of the Polish energy sector, corresponding to a 100% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2050, becomes socially optimal only at an SCC of around €165/tCO₂. Simulations conducted for different EUA price levels allow for the construction of a MAC curve, which can be used to identify the economically optimal scope of decarbonisation policy. Due to its heavy reliance on coal and the high-emission starting point of its energy transition, Poland faces particularly high investment requirements. Achieving climate neutrality in the energy sector by 2050 is estimated to require approximately €228 billion in investment, including substantial expenditures on RES, the construction of nuclear power plants, and the development of energy storage infrastructure. Full article

The energy transition of district heating systems in Poland requires the simultaneous consideration of energy efficiency, operating costs, technical feasibility, and local environmental constraints. This study addresses an identified gap in the literature by combining real operational time series from a municipal district heating system with time-resolved market signals and site-specific resource constraints in a single OPEX-based operational screening framework. A case study is conducted for the city of Ustka using a configuration-based comparison of hybrid supply systems that include a gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) unit, air-source and ground-source heat pumps, thermal energy storage, and a peak-load boiler. The optimisation model was implemented in MS Excel using the GRG Nonlinear algorithm (Solver) and was driven by the district heating operational data for 2021–2022 together with electricity and natural gas prices from the Polish Power Exchange day-ahead market (TGE RDN), evaluated under both hourly and daily settlement assumptions. The results indicate an optimal capacity split of 1.2 MWel/1.3 MWth for the CHP unit and 1.5 MWel/3.0 MWth for the heat pump system, supported by a required peak boiler capacity of 8.23 MWth. Within the adopted OPEX-based assessment, the lowest value of the unit heat generation indicator was obtained for the CHP-led configuration with combined ground-source and air-source heat pumps (38.45–38.55 PLN/GJ). A distinctive element of the study is the explicit verification of whether an operationally favourable configuration remains practically feasible when local resource constraints are considered. The site assessment indicates limited practical feasibility of the borehole heat exchanger at the analysed location in Ustka, showing that the lowest OPEX result should not be interpreted as a final investment recommendation. The study provides a replicable approach for the Polish district heating operators to screen hybrid transition pathways under real market conditions and to avoid technology choices that are favourable in dispatch models but constrained in practice. From a sustainability perspective, the proposed framework supports more energy-efficient, resilient, and locally feasible district heating transition planning in municipal heat systems. Full article

This paper examines the relationship between macroeconomic scale, the structure of energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions in Poland over the period 2000–2023, against the background of the country’s energy transition under European Union (EU) climate policy. The study aims to identify the extent to which gross domestic product (GDP), hard coal consumption, natural gas consumption, and electricity generation from renewable energy sources (RES) explain the level of CO₂ emissions in a coal-dependent economy undergoing gradual structural change. The empirical analysis is based on annual data from Statistics Poland and applies two complementary econometric approaches: an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model to capture the baseline relationships and an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to examine short-run dynamics and lagged effects. The OLS results show that the model explains a substantial share of emission variability and that coal consumption is the only statistically significant determinant of CO₂ emissions, with a strong positive coefficient. GDP, natural gas consumption, and RES production do not exhibit statistically significant effects in the baseline specification. The ARDL results indicate that coal has the strongest contemporaneous statistical association with emissions, while also suggesting weak autoregressive properties of the emission system and the absence of statistically significant short-run associations for GDP, gas, and renewables. Sensitivity analysis further shows that coal remains the variable most strongly associated with emission levels, whereas the estimated associations for GDP, gas, and RES are comparatively weak. The findings suggest that, in Poland, emission dynamics are more closely linked to the carbon intensity of the energy mix than to the scale of economic activity itself. The study suggests that effective decarbonization is likely to be associated with a structural reduction in coal dependence, while the emission-reduction potential of renewable energy expansion may become more visible over a longer time horizon. These results have important implications for the design of Poland’s energy and climate policy, suggesting that the success of the transition is closely linked to changes in the structure of energy carriers in a way consistent with economic and infrastructural constraints. Full article

Sustainable development is a core objective of European Union (EU) policy, making energy transition performance a key analytical and policy issue. This article examines the role of energy and the energy sector in Poland’s sustainable development through an indicator-based empirical assessment for 2010–2024 in a comparative EU context. In addition to the national analysis, Poland’s trajectories are positioned against the EU-27 average and selected Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies in order to assess whether the observed changes represent relative progress, convergence, or persistent lagging. The study combines a harmonised indicator framework with formal trend tests, structural-break analysis, a simplified additive LMDI decomposition, and exploratory cross-indicator analysis. The results show strong improvement in macro-level energy efficiency, continued growth in the renewable-energy share, and a reduction in the emissions intensity of energy use, while also revealing an asymmetric transition pattern in which transport remains less stable and energy self-reliance declines. From a comparative perspective, Poland performs relatively strongly in economy-wide, energy-efficiency improvement, but less favourably in renewable-energy deployment than the EU-27 average and the selected CEE comparators. Overall, the findings point to measurable progress in efficiency and decarbonisation alongside persistent tensions between sectoral adjustment, renewable energy expansion, and energy security. Full article

This study develops econometric models to examine greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal and natural gas consumption in Poland between 2015 and 2023. Poland has one of the most carbon-intensive energy systems in Europe. Three complementary log–log econometric models were estimated: a model explaining total CO₂ emissions, a model assessing emission intensity (CO₂ per unit of GDP), and a model capturing short-term variations in emission intensity. The results demonstrate that coal consumption remains the dominant determinant of absolute emissions, whereas the expansion of renewable energy significantly contributes to lowering the carbon intensity of economic growth. However, short-term fluctuations in emission intensity are still largely influenced by changes in fossil fuel consumption patterns. The findings highlight the gradual and sequential character of Poland’s energy transition, where gains in environmental efficiency precede a consistent reduction in total emissions. The proposed modeling framework offers an empirical basis for evaluating the effectiveness of climate and energy policies and can support the formulation of decarbonization strategies in economies heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Full article

The decarbonization of the residential sector is a critical component of the European Green Deal, particularly in transition economies like Poland. This study proposes a comprehensive techno-economic optimization of a deeply retrofitted single-family house aiming for net-zero energy building (NZEB) status. The research specifically focuses on the Polish coastal climate zone, characterized by distinct humidity, wind, and temperature profiles compared to inland regions, which significantly influence the efficiency of air-to-water heat pumps (ASHP). Based on a real-world energy audit, the study simulates the synergy between a deep thermal envelope upgrade and a hybrid system comprising an ASHP, photovoltaics (PV), and battery energy storage (BES). This paper presents a detailed economic analysis of such hybrid systems under the new Polish ‘net-billing’ prosumer mechanism. The study evaluates the impact of electricity tariff structures (flat-rate G11 vs. time-of-use G12w) on the investment’s profitability. By calculating key performance indicators—including the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), net present value (NPV), and self-sufficiency ratio (SSR)—the research assesses various system configurations. The initial evaluation indicates that while deep retrofitting significantly reduces heating demand, integrating battery storage plays a critical role in enhancing economic returns under the net-billing framework. The analysis demonstrates that the optimized hybrid system (9.0 kWp PV + 10 kWh BESS) achieves an average annual self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) of 49.8% and reduces the non-renewable primary energy (EP) indicator to 0.0 kWh/(m²·year). Economically, the investment yields a positive NPV of €3194, an IRR of 5.25%, and a LCOE of €0.184/kWh, which is 34% lower than projected grid prices. Furthermore, switching to a time-of-use tariff (G12w) generates an additional 11% (€139) in annual savings. These quantitative findings provide actionable guidelines for policymakers and investors, confirming the financial viability and environmental benefit (annual reduction of 6.12 MgCO₂) of NZEB standards in coastal areas. Full article

This study analyzes the long-run relationships between digitalization, investment, innovation, and economic growth in connection with the energy transition in the SPRING-F group (Spain, Poland, Romania, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and France) using annual data for the period of 2000–2024. The analysis starts from the premise that digitalization affects economic performance not only directly, but also through structural transmission mechanisms linked to investment and the energy transition. To capture these dynamics, this study employs three complementary panel ARDL models. The first model explains economic growth (GDP per capita) as a function of digitalization, capital accumulation, R&D expenditure, renewable energy consumption, trade openness, and foreign direct investment. The second model estimates gross capital formation (GCF) in order to assess the investment transmission channel. The third model explains renewable energy consumption (RNEC) in order to capture the sustainability dimension. The results show that trade openness and capital accumulation are the strongest long-run drivers of economic growth in the SPRING-F group. Internet use, R&D expenditure, and FDI also display positive long-run associations with GDP per capita, whereas fixed broadband subscriptions and renewable energy consumption enter the growth equation with negative coefficients, suggesting that digital infrastructure and the green transition do not automatically generate immediate growth gains. The GCF model confirms that investment acts as an important transmission mechanism, especially through the robust GDP–GCF linkage. The RNEC model indicates that the energy transition is positively associated with investment, innovation, and trade openness, while GDP and digital infrastructure remain negatively associated with the renewable energy share. Overall, the findings point to a conditional and nonlinear relationship between growth, digitalization, investment, and sustainability, with the sustainability channel remaining more specification-sensitive than the growth and investment equations. The long-run results for the GDP equation should also be interpreted with additional caution, given the comparatively weaker cointegration evidence for Model 1. Full article

Many countries rely on coal for energy security during renewable transitions. This study conducts a technical, economic, and environmental analysis of hybridizing a supercritical coal-fired power unit with photovoltaics (PV) to create a sustainable hybrid system at a plant in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. The goal is to assess costs and optimal operating conditions for a coal–PV hybrid under varying scenarios, using a decision-support model that integrates fuel prices, CO₂ emission charges (EUA), and technical parameters. Two main scenarios are modeled. In auxiliary-only PV (112 MW system), real-time power supplies pumps and fans, cutting coal consumption without storage; LCOE decreases with annual hours (2800–7000), outperforming conventional coal across EUA prices (20–50 EUR/t). In PV surplus export, excess generation (1300 h/year) is grid-fed for revenue, amplifying LCOE reductions—hybrid superiority emerges above 34 EUR/t EUA, per equivalence thresholds. Results show coal electricity exceeds low-emission costs above 34 EUR/t CO₂, with maximum disparity at 50 EUR/Mg. The hybrid leverages existing infrastructure, mitigates solar intermittency via auxiliary supply, ensures baseload continuity, boosts flexibility, and prolongs asset life—reducing >123,000 EUA/year at 145,000 MWh PV output. This sustainable hybrid promotes energy transition, reduces fossil fuel dependence, and aligns with global sustainability goals. Full article