For two days Serock has been the European wind energy capital. This was caused by the largest industry event – the Polish Wind Energy Association Conference and Exhibition. Participants could hear an address by EWEA CEO, Thomas Becker, and GWEC Secretary General, Steve Sawyer.
During the PWEA Conference and Exhibition CEO of the European Wind Energy Association, Thomas Becker stressed the crucial role played by Poland in wind energy development: “For three years now Poland has been in the first ten wind energy markets in the EU. There are factors underlying the Poland’s success, including good wind conditions, still relatively good political framework, relatively strong local industry and recognition for the need to diversify the energy mix to avoid overdomination of a single source”.
Thomas Becker also stressed that the target for the increase in the RES share in the EU energy mix to 27% by 2030 proposed by the European Commission is too low: “The 27 percent target for the share of RES in the energy mix in 2030 proposed by the European Commission is not ambitious. Forecasts demonstrate that the target will be reached by 2030 as a result of natural development of the business. We propose to increase the target from 27 percent to 30 percent”.
The Conference saw the launch of the “Subsidies to hard coal and lignite extraction in Poland in the 2010 – 2013 period” report developed by CASE-Doradcy.Findings of the report were presented by President of CASE-Doradcy, dr Andrzej Cylwik. In the 2010 – 2013 period the total support for coal amounted to PLN 22 billion, whereas direct support to RES was just half of the figure – PLN 10.3 billion. Actually, the support was four times lower, for one has to deduct from the RES support the PLN 4.9 billion spent on subsidies for co-firing of coal with biomass in baseload power plants or for subsidies to depreciated hydro power plants.
“Polish energy shall be based on domestic sources. Without doubt, this means coal, although extraction becomes increasingly difficult. In some time this might be shale gas; however, renewable energy sources will be the key supplement”, Andrzej Cylwik said.
This year the largest PWEA conference in Serock was visited by more than 600 attendees; the exhibition space was fully sold.
For the two days the Narvil Hotel in Serock was the meeting place for investors, entrepreneurs and individual clients. 50 exhibitors from all around the globe presented a broad list of new products, services and technological solutions for the wind power industry. During the five thematic sessions (The future of the energy mix in Poland, Business and Policy, The future of wind energy, Key aspects of wind farm EIAs, Grid connection) papers were presented by more than 50 panellists. This is the only event in Poland comprehensively demonstrating the importance of our industry for the Polish energy sector. I am very happy to see that so many eminent guests decided to come to Serock, said PWEA Vice-President, Arkadiusz Sekściński.