In compliance with the European Directive on energy efficiency adopted in 2006 (2006/32/EC), Poland presented its National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP), which lays down a final energy savings target of at least 9% in 2016, i.e. 53.5 TWh.
The second NEEAP (late 2011) raised the energy savings target to 11% by 2016 (5.8 Mtoe or 67.2 TWh), 38% of which should be achieved through the white certificate system, 19% through existing information campaigns, 24% in the transport sector, 12% in the residential sector (mainly through the retrofitting of buildings with the Thermo-Modernization Program), 4% in industry and 3% in the public sector.
In compliance with the European Union 20-20-20 goals Poland aims to reduce energy consumption by 20% by 2020 compared with the business as usual scenario.
Energy efficiency is one of the six main objectives of the Energy Policy until 2030 adopted in 2009. It aims at reducing the country’s energy intensity to the EU-15 average and to achieve “zero-energy” economic growth by 2030, i.e. raising the GDP without increasing energy consumption.
In 2009 a draft of the Polish Energy Efficiency Law was presented, targeting reductions in energy consumption and in transmission losses. The Energy Efficiency Act was adopted in April 2011, defining the purposes of energy savings and establishing support mechanisms. The key measure is the introduction of white certificates, imposed on companies that sell electricity, gas or heat. White certificates should be obtained for energy savings with end-users (for about 80%), by generators (10%) and by electricity network operators (10%). Poland’s energy efficiency policy also relies on the European ecodesign and labeling directives for electrical appliances.
Energy efficiency in the residential and tertiary sector is also targeted. In 1999, the Thermo-Modernization Program launched financial premiums for end-use improvements in residential and tertiary buildings (20% reimbursement of the loan for efficiency projects), fuel substitutions (renewables) and energy loss reduction in heat distribution networks.
