Renewable Energy Sources (RES) will face a dynamic growth in the coming years. However, system stability requires conventional energy sources. This role may be effectively played by retrofit “200’s”, 200 MW power units commonly used today. Cooperation between wind and coal was the subject of the 5th edition of the Silesia 2030 Conference, held today in Katowice, Poland.
“A cap of 550 g of CO2 per kWh produced will apply from July 2025. This will eliminate the majority of currently operating coal units from the capacity market,” said in his speech opening the conference former Deputy Minister for Energy, current European Parliament MP, Grzegorz Tobiszowski. “To be able to make a civilisation leap, we cannot eliminate 70% of generation capacity. First we have to build new capacity, and when we have surplus, we can successively eliminate the least efficient units from the market,” European Parliament MP Tobiszowski added.
“There is war in Ukraine, but there also is war here, an energy war. The current energy crisis is most severe since the Second World War. It pertains to all energy sources and should force everyone at the European level to reflect on how energy policy should be designed. In Poland we think that energy independence is the key,” said Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska, Deputy Minister for Climate and Environment.
The plan for a modern, stable and safe power system features cooperation between renewable energy sources and state-of-the-art coal units. This is discussed in the “COAL+WIND. RES and Conventional Sources to Secure Poland’s Energy Security” report by Polish Wind Energy Association (“PWEA”), whose launch was at the core of the Conference.
It is estimated that in 2026 Poland will need 192 TWh of electricity. The developing RES will provide 19 TWh from PV, 36 TWh from onshore wind and 12 TWh from offshore wind. This means that coal- and gas-based conventional energy sector must provide 125 TWh to ensure system stability.
In 2035 electricity demand will be even higher, reaching 210 TWh. At that time, PV will provide 27 TWh, onshore wind — 70 TWh and offshore wind — 79 TWh. Conventional sources need to provide additional 51 TWh.
The authors of the report see the great role of 200 MW coal units. Currently there are more than 40 such units in Poland, and the potential for their use is studied under the National Centre’s for Research and Development “200+ Units. Innovative Method to Change Operational Regime of 200 MWe+ Class Energy Units” Programme.
“Units that were to be phased out naturally with the end of the capacity market may be retrofit. Their efficiency may be improved. Even more, their flexibility may be improved too,” explained Professor Piotr Kacejko from Lublin Univeristy of Technology during presentation of the report.
Flexibility of conventional generation units is crucial in the context of cooperation with developing renewable sources, which are weather-dependent.
“The role of wind energy for the Polish energy mix is increasing every year. It has to be emphasized that renewable energy sources, in particular wind, are not a competition for the traditionally-perceived coal-fired energy, but actually supplement it. The upcoming changes to the energy sector demonstrate that the two technologies may perfectly supplement each other during the transition. Onshore wind has many times proven to be a substantial support for the conventional energy sector. During the windy days in 2022 the share of RES in the Polish system exceeded 50 percent, vastly contributing to savings of coal and gas, which today are more valuable than gold. Poland needs both coal and RES to achieve power system stability,” said Janusz Gajowiecki, President of the Polish Wind Energy Association.
In many European Union countries, the system was to be stabilised by gas, whose combustion is less carbon-intensive than in case of coal. However, in the face of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, sanctions and gas shortages the solution cannot be implemented.
“The only way for the European Commission is to develop renewable energy and pursue decarbonisation as fast as possible. Obviously, renewables need to be developed because this is an obvious direction of civilisation growth. However, one need to mind power system stabilisation, which currently may be ensured only by conventional energy,” former Prime Minster Beata Szydło argued.
“We come back to coal and have to come back to defend our power system. We’re talking about new investments in mines or even construction of new mines. We also need to introduce new technologies for combustion of that coal, for this also is a matter of health of the Polish citizens,” said Deputy Minster for State Assets, Piotr Pyzik.
The solution is the retrofit of the coal-fired “200’s”, which substantially decreases emissions and is less expensive that technological “conversion” of these units to gas, and much less expensive than construction of new gas sources.
“Wind and 200 MW units — this is a combo that would work together,” Professor Kacejko concluded.
The full report may be found here: http://psew.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/WEGIELWIATR_E_BOOK.pdf
The 5th edition of the Silesia 2030 Conference, held in the headquarters of Zarząd Regionu Śląsko-Dąbrowskiego NSZZ Solidarność, was subject to the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.
The event was held owing to the support of the ECR European Conservatives and Reformists group in cooperation with the Polish Wind Energy Association. Main Partner was Węglokoks S.A; Energy Partner — Tauron Polska Energia S.A.; “Gold” Partner — Enea S.A.; “Silver” Partners — EDF Renewables Polska, JSW S.A and PGG S.A.; “Bronze” Partner — Ecol sp. z o.o. and Famur Gorup.