DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR

0,17

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15

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124

ID

Ministerstwo Środowiska

2000

rok

INTRODUCTION

Reasonable utilisation of energy from renewable sources, such as energy of rivers, wind, solar

radiation, geothermal energy and biomass, is one of the crucial components of sustainable

development aimed to generate tangible environmental benefits and energy effects.

The growing share of renewable energy sources in the world's fuel and energy balance contributes

to better efficiency in the utilisation of energy resources and to the saving of energy resources.

Other effects include improved condition of the environment due to reduction of emissions into the

atmosphere and waters as well as reduced volume of waste. Support of the development of

renewable energy sources is therefore becoming a more and more serious challenge to almost all

countries of the world.

Interest in renewable energy sources grew considerably in the 1990's. It is estimated that since

1990 the world's utilisation of solar energy has doubled, and that of wind has increased four times.

In the coming years, further development in the utilisation of renewable energy sources is to be

expected. The growth is due to the benefits to both local communities and to the environment. The

former include greater energy security, creation of new jobs, promotion of regional development

and last but not the least, the reduction of CO2 emissions. In particular, the need to fulfil

international obligations following the Framework UN Convention concerning climate change and the

Kyoto Protocol to that Convention concerning the reduction of CO2 emissions creates an great

opportunity for the development of the utilisation of renewable energy sources.

Renewables may provide a substantial share in the energy balance of individual communes and

even of provinces in Poland. These sources of energy may improve energy security in the region

and, in particular, improve energy supplies to areas with poor energy infrastructure. Potentially,

agriculture, housing and transport are the biggest consumers of energy from renewable sources.

The sources offer new opportunities of job creation, especially in unemployment-stricken areas.

Further, land which due to heavy contamination is unsuitable for growing edible plants may be used

for biofuel crops. Examples of effective utilisation of renewable energy in Polish conditions have

been presented in Annex 1. By general consent, the development of the renewable energy sector

may help resolve many environmental problems created by the energy sector in Poland as well as

in other countries