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Energy was one of the key threads of the 17th European Economic Congress in Katowice. She returned in various, intertwined contexts, primarily economic development and security.
Congress opened a block of discussions of politics and business leaders from Poland and abroad, devoted to security and economy. It was attended by representatives of government, Marzena Czarnecka, Minister of Industry, Philip Hunt, Minister of State for Energy Safety and UK climate neutrality, Lukas Savickas, Minister of Innovation and Lithuanian Economy, and Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Undersecretary of State in the Union of the European Union of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.
First, flexibility
Dariusz Marzec, president of the board of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, during the conversation “Safe Economy”, in which he took part with Ireneusz Fąfara, president of Orlen SA, emphasized: Currently, security is being defined again. He pointed out that in the energy sector it was used to be understood under this concept of energy production for a string, which was provided by conventional sources. Such a look is out of date.
– Today, the energy production time is completely different with the moment of its use. And this is an absolutely new situation that we were not dealing with – said the president of the largest energy group in Poland.
He demonstrated the production profile chart of April 21, one of the new gas blocks installed at the Dolna Odra Power Plant. He looked – as the president of Marzec described – like a drawing of saws with very large teeth.
– We see in this chart that during the day the gas block has changed to a large extent the power with which it works. This was the demand of the power network operator for energy. The gas block had to balance the network in which so many renewable energy sources, including solar farms, depending on the weather. A sunny day during which clouds appear, means jumping changes in electricity production. This shows what Polish energy needs today: flexibility. According to Grzegorz Onichimowski, president of the board of Polish electricity networks, this is now the Holy Grail of our energy – said Dariusz Marzec and pointed out: For this reason, the future is energy sources, which allow you to immediately respond to the needs of the operator, within minutes or hours. It is currently gas.
The change is fundamental. As the president of Marzec reminded, energy blocks were built a dozen or so years ago, which were to work in principle non -stop and at a level close to their maximum power.
– Today, no one needs such blocks. Today we need blocks that will react flexibly to energy production from renewable sources – Photovoltaic and wind farms – explained the president of PGE, adding that the basis of the system is needed to level everything.
– Ultimately, it will be, as the Minister of Industry said, nuclear energy. Until then, for over a decade, this role will be played by conventional assets – explained the president of Marzec.
For the energy system to actually meet the needs, there is a lot to be done. Meanwhile, as the president of PGE noted, Europe has still not changed its priorities.
– We are still in a situation where it is difficult to finance the construction of a gas block in an international financial institution due to its emission. Although it is 70 percent. lower than conventional units
– I am a great supporter of gas as a key bridging solution in the transformation of Polish energy. We have a competitive gas supply market, necessary infrastructure, connections with the European market – enumerated the president of the largest Polish energy group.
The direction is clear
The problem is that investments in the energy sector are implemented with a long -term perspective. Meanwhile, we live in a world of huge variability.
– I will surprise you, but we already know a lot – noted Dariusz Marzec. – We know that we must be responsible for our energy security ourselves. We know that the difference in time regarding energy production and its consumption means, among others The need to build warehouses. We know that we need flexibility due to the growing participation in the system of renewable sources. We must have a structure of manufacturing assets that responds to challenges. And here gas appears – calculated the president of PGE, adding the need to develop a flexible, safe and intelligent distribution network. Recipients must be able to react to energy prices that change during the day, which also contributes to the elasticity of the system.
Geopolitics and macroeconomics remain unknown, but it doesn’t matter. As the president of PGE reminded, the facts are inexorable – e.g. in the next decade in Bełchatów brown coal will end. You have to think about the consequences now. Hence the PGE proposal to use the elements of infrastructure, the possibility of removing power or qualified staff, it is in Bełchatów that build another large Polish nuclear power plant.
The picture is therefore clear: the future of the Polish energy mix is nuclear energy, renewable sources and gas, i.e. low and zero-emission and flexible assets. PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna includes this in its new strategy, whose elements have already presented, and the final, comprehensive plan will be presented in June.
Competitiveness, fool!
The topic of key changes for the Polish economy and the whole country returned on the first day of the European Economic Congress in the discussion “Transformation of the Energy Sector”. Robert Kropiwnicki, Secretary of State at the Ministry of State Asset, stated that this year would be groundbreaking.
– Mainly because of the fact that we run processes that will lead to the goal of obtaining cheap, clean and safe energy for our management He described.
Robert Kropiwnicki reminded, among others for the purpose of over PLN 50 billion for the construction of a nuclear power plant, the construction of wind farms or the modernization and development of distribution networks. He also mentioned the construction of flexible gas sources. He also pointed out that the construction of local supply chains is important for the ministry.
Climate goals were the natural background of this debate. Until recently, he has been in the first place in the European Union, they have recently been subject to public discussion. Geopolitical changes or a loud Mario Draghi report, dedicated to the competitiveness of Europe, contributed to this.
– I am not sure if today the biggest problem of Europe is the emission of carbon dioxide and whether at all costs we should achieve ambitious climatic goals in 2040 looking at the participation of the European Union in the global economy. I am not sure if Europe should have other priorities today, such as defense, economic force of the economy, because it counts today in a geopolitical game, it will be about its security – said Dariusz Marzec.
Is a few hundred billion, or maybe even a trillion euro intended for ambitious climatic purposes, is it better to spend on defense, reduction of energy prices and improving competitiveness? – asked the president of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna.
– In my opinion, the approach “zero -emission or death” defined about 10 years ago is no longer the best. Now the right strategy for Europe should come from the slogan “Competitiveness, foolish!” – PGGE President said strongly, emphasizing what disaster for Europe may be progressive deindustrialization. – The European Union must see what is happening around it – he added.
Wojciech Koszut, president of ArcelorMittal Poland, gave a direct example from the world of industry.
– compared to 2009, steel production in Europe has decreased by a third. Employment in metallurgy fell by a quarter at that time. Despite this, the steel industry in Europe still produces added value at the level of EUR 80 billion – he described.
According to Wojciech, a t -shirt energy transformation must accelerate in Poland and Europe and should bring a decrease in energy prices.
“If it is still run at the same pace as in recent years, the energy consuming industry will have difficulty to survive in Europe,” he warned.
The metallurgical sector stands at a crossroads.
– We left a year, maybe two or three, but no more. Believe me – said Wojciech Koszut.
Dariusz Marzec directly referred to this situation.
– Europe must do something with high energy prices. Companies such as ArcelorMittal will move out differently. Emission in Europe will then fall to zero. But this is probably not what we mean – summed up the president of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna. Mk
Stable plan needed
Investments in the energy sector worth many billion have one more important dimension. It is about Local Content, the participation of companies from Poland, which can be a flywheel for the economy. PGE takes this into account. President Dariusz Marzec during a discussion in Katowice gave an example of the development of the distribution network, to which the company will allocate PLN 75 billion. The share of Local Content will reach here 85 percent. This is enabled by the domestic value chain, built over the years, PGE expenditure on distribution reached PLN 5 billion a year. In the case of investments in gas blocks, the participation of entrepreneurs from Poland reaches 40-50 percent. Preparatory or construction works. For sea wind farms it is now 30 percent, these are new projects, but this percentage is to increase.
President Marzec recalled the example of Great Britain, which contracted 10 GW of energy from the North Sea for several years in one tender. Such predictability allows investors and suppliers to prepare plans and creates grounds for action.
– It is impossible to create a supply chain for a single project. It must be a series planned for 10-15 years – explained Dariusz Marzec.
Planning individual projects condemns Poland to shopping abroad, where the value chains have already been created.
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