The main topic of the conference, which took place on August 30, 2021, was the role of gas in the energy transition. One of its participants was also the Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment, also acting as the Government Plenipotentiary for Renewable Energy Sources – Ireneusz Zyska.
Poland’s Energy Policy until 2040 emphasizes the important role of gas as an element in stabilizing the functioning of the electricity sector. Gas is a source supporting and balancing the development of the energy system and electricity from renewable sources, and also plays an important role in the pursuit of climate neutrality. Characteristic for gas units is lower emissivity compared to coal units, in addition, the volume of their production is much easier to control. In Poland, the network infrastructure is being expanded and the further diversification of natural gas supply sources is underway to increase the use of gas in electricity generation.
The plan for the future is to replace natural gas with decarbonised and renewable gases such as hydrogen, biogas and biomethane. It is also planned to increase the possibility of transmitting these fuels through gas networks.
During the conference, Deputy Minister Zyska informed that the Ministry of Climate and Environment is finishing work on the draft Polish Hydrogen Strategy, and the document should be adopted in September this year.
Hydrogen production will benefit not only from regulating the system, but also from managing surplus energy from RES, which will enable the rational management of the energy system. Moreover, during the conference, Deputy Minister Zyska also emphasized the potential of Poland in the production of biogas.