Energy Demand
In 2009, the total energy consumption per capita amounted to 2.5 toe (104 GJ), including 3092 kWh of electricity.
Although coal still covers 55 % of the country’s needs, its share has been falling steadily compared to the 1980s (80 % on average). In comparison, oil and gas still play a modest role (24 % and 12 % respectively), and are expected to gain importance in the future.
[Enerdata]
Demand per sector
The structure of final consumption recently changed due to industrial closures. This led the share of industry in final consumption to fall from 40 % in 1990 to its current 23 % share (30 % including non-energy use). In 2009, the share of the transport sector strongly increased, from 12 % to 25 %, and the share of the residential-tertiary sector increased to 42 %.
Oil product consumption increased by almost 5 %/year between 2002 and 2008. More than half of the oil products are consumed by the transport sector.
Electricity consumption has increased rapidly and on average, industry consumes one third of the counry’s electricity (37 %), compared to 21 % for the residential sector and 29 % for the tertiary sector (2009).
Industry and the residential-tertiary sector consume about 40 % each of the country’s gas.
Coal and lignite are mainly consumed by power plants (79 % in 2009).
[Enerdata]
Final energy demand by sectors in Poland, 2008
Final energy demand of the residential sector in Poland, 2008
Final Energy Demand of the residential sector of Poland, as compared to that of other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Austria and the European Union 15, 2008
Demand per Capita
In 2009, the total energy consumption per capita amounted to 2.5 toe (104 GJ), including 3092 kWh of electricity.
Primary energy intensity per GDP at purchase power parity in Poland, other CEEC, Austria, and the EU 15, 2008
Source: ENERDATA s.a. - WORLD ENERGY DATABASE [2011]
Primary energy intensity is an indicator to show how much energy is needed to produce one quantity of economic output. Referring to the output of her economy (based on purchase power parity), the relative primary energy demand in Poland is about 45 % above the average of the EU 15 and Austria, but below that of Slovak Republic and Czech Republic, for example.
Electricity Demand per GDP (MWh/M$05) and capita (kWh/hab) in Poland, other CEEC, Austria, and the EU 15, 2008
Source: ENERDATA s.a. - WORLD ENERGY DATABASE [2011]
The deviation of electricity demand per GNP of a country from that of Austria or the EU average indicates, how efficiently electricity is utilised in the respective economy in comparison to the EU or to Austria, or, conversely, which gains in efficiency are to be realised. If the electricity demand per GNP decreases - what can be expected for the future in CEE countries - more national income in the form of GNP will be produced with the same amount of electricity (the black bars in the figure will decrease in this case).
Table 1: Final Energy Consumption for Poland, figures for 2009
Final Energy Consumption for Poland, figures for 2009 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Final | Solid | Crude | Oil | Gas | Hydro., | Elec. | Heat | Bio- | Total |
industry | 216030 | 53498 | 121159 | 153765 | 64185 | 48837 | 657474 | ||
transport | 608109 | 11152 | 23232 | 642494 | |||||
households, | 255179 | 133844 | 194733 | 246937 | 192597 | 113205 | 1136489 | ||
non energy | 1998 | 128278 | 78528 | 208804 | |||||
total | 473201 | 923729 | 394419 | 411855 | 256782 | 185275 | 2645261 | ||
Prospects for Energy Saving
The potential for energy conservation has not been estimated yet. Rather crude and sector investigations have shown that the potential of saving 15 % to 20 % or even 25 % on average in all sectors of economy is a very realistic plan.
As regards industry, a report on the status of energy consumption in the main industries in Poland was developed with the participation of KAPE, based on priorities identified by the government of Japan.
This "Master Plan of Energy Savings in Poland" established the basis for foundations to develop policy in the area of rational energy use in industry. The energy savings plan contained in the report anticipates a reduction in power consumption in Industry.
Two policy scenarios, i.e., the Energy Conservation Scenario (EC) and Accelerated Energy Conservation (AEC), were envisioned for each of the four components:
- " improvement of energy management", "improvement of equipment," "effects of modernisation and rationalisation," and "economic incentives".
- Each scenario is to assess energy conservation effects as of 2000 and 2003, respectively.
Industry: The total energy consumption of 5 targeted industries in Poland was 381 PJ (9.14 million tons of oil) in 1997. For the years 2000 and 2003, the reference scenario (REF) estimates an increase to 415 PJ (9.96 million tons of oil) and 453 PJ (10.87 million tons in oil). On the other hand, the EC Scenario projects an energy-saving potential of 44 PJ (1.06 million tons of oil) for 2000 and 80 PJ (1.91 million tons in oil) for the year 2003, a decline of about 11 % and 18 % respectively.
The energy savings potential in buildings are influenced by individual thermo-modernisation projects. Generally, it can be assumed that with full and technically proper thermo-refurbishment, energy savings will vary between 30 % and 55 %. KAPE (The Polish National Energy Conservation Agency) has performed primary studies on energy savings potentials in the educational and health care sectors.
The simulation showed that in schools, a reduction in consumption by approx. 30 % of today’s level is possible, while in the health sub-sector, energy consumption can be reduced by 50 %.
Heat supply (district heating) is one of the most important sectors in the Polish energy economy, as approx. 50 % of primary energy is used for heating purposes. Simultaneously, space heating and hot water constitute approx. 80 % of energy consumption in buildings. Heat production and distribution both play a key role in energy balances in cities. The average energy efficiency of public CHP plants is approx. 82 %, and approx. 77 % and 67% for autonomous (industrial) CHP plants and for autonomous and municipal heating plants, respectively.
[SAVE BEEP - Bankable Energy Efficiency Projects]
Prices
The prices of motor fuels strongly increased since the liberalization of the Polish economy. In 2009, the average price of gasoline and diesel were €0.95/l and €0.84/l, respectively.
The prices of electricity are also rising, but in an unequal way. While the prices in industry more than fivefold between 1989 and 2009 (from €1.5 cents/kWh to €8.6 cents/kWh), household prices rose from €0.5 cents/kWh to €12 cents/kWh.
Heat tariffs are defined by heating enterprises themselves an approved by the president of the URE.
