Energy Transition: Example of Poland

Energy transition is one of the most important topics in the world economy nowadays. For European countries, leading the clean energy debate, it is of special importance. Poland, as a European Union (EU) member state and coal-rich country, faces significant challenges on its road to a low-carbon future. The country’s resource endowment translates into economic, social, and environmental challenges that will have to be addressed in the very near future. Therefore, this chapter focuses on the energy transition from the Polish perspective. We aim to describe the phenomenon of energy transition in Poland through the use of a critical literature review applying logical synthesis and analysis. Adopting such an approach will enable a better understanding of the energy transition in order to apply it to the Polish circumstances. In the empirical part we will depict the Polish energy situation at both the macro and micro levels to reveal the complexity of the coal-withdrawal strategy. The analysis of country-wide consequences will be accompanied by specific regional or company examples (at their discretion and allowance). The empirical part will be descriptive with a focus on the use of secondary data. Sources used in the analysis include the following: Eurostat, World Bank, Statistics Poland, Polish Geological Institute, Industrial Development Agency Poland, and Warsaw Stock Exchange. Further, the focus will be on the use of recognized international and national literature/data databases. The analysis closes with a discussion and conclusion section relevant for Polish energy policy, along with study limitations and future research directions to build on the work set out in this chapter.