The application for the sixth phase of Poland's "Mój Prąd" (My Electricity) rebate program began earlier this month, offering a total subsidy of PLN 400 million (approximately CNY 738 million) for residential photovoltaic (PV), battery storage, and hot water storage systems.
Eligibility Requirements:
Applies to net-metering users with installations after January 1, 2021.PV systems must have a capacity between 2-10 kW.
Users who install by July 31, 2024, are eligible for subsidies without the need to include battery storage or hot water storage systems.
Users who install after July 31, 2024, must include battery or hot water storage systems to qualify for subsidies.
All qualifying home PV storage systems must be grid-connected, and the subsidized stored energy must be reported to local operators. Off-grid installations are not eligible for subsidies.
Subsidy Amount:
PV systems without storage can receive up to PLN 6,000, while those with storage can receive up to PLN 7,000.
Hot water storage systems are eligible for up to PLN 5,000, with a minimum storage capacity of 20 liters.
Battery storage systems can receive up to PLN 16,000, with a minimum battery capacity of 2 kWh.
The total budget for the latest phase is PLN 400 million, funded by the European Infrastructure, Climate, and Environment Program Fund. The deadline for applications is December 20, 2024, or until funds are exhausted.
According to the International Energy Agency, Poland’s PV and heat pump markets are among the fastest-growing in the EU. Data from the research institution IEO shows that Poland reached an installed capacity of 4.6 GW in 2023, and by the end of 2023, its cumulative PV capacity reached 17.05 GW, making it the fourth-largest PV market in the EU after Germany, Spain, and Italy.
However, fossil fuels still dominate Poland's current energy structure. Poland remains the EU country with the highest per capita CO2 emissions.
The government change in October 2023 ended the eight-year rule of the Law and Justice Party (PiS), which had made agreements with Polish miners to continue coal mining until 2049 and opposed many EU-wide climate change legislations. The PiS government even took the EU to court, attempting to overturn multiple climate policies, including the 2035 ban on new CO2-emitting vehicles.
In early 2024, Poland’s new Secretary of State for Climate, Urszula Zielińska, stated that the country is now considering setting a final date for coal phase-out. “Only when a final date is set can we plan, only when a final date is set can the industry plan, and people can plan,” she said.
The Polish think tank "Forum Energii" pointed out in a report that Poland must phase out coal power by 2035, as coal-fired power generation is economically unviable and would jeopardize energy security.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also highlighted the fact that decentralized solar power systems are safer than centralized power systems.
According to the "International Environmental Outlook," Poland's PV market is expected to experience strong growth this decade, with installed capacity expected to reach 30 GW by the end of 2030.
Source：Overseas PV and Storage Observer
