Poland has made it easier to build onshore wind farms, speeding up its transition to a cleaner energy source.
According to Reuters, the Polish government approved legislation to ease regulations for building onshore wind farms.
Poland is the European Union's second-highest emitter of planet-warming pollution in relation to the size of its economy. The move will help the country deliver on a pledge to lower emissions and increase the use of clean energy sources such as wind and solar.
Currently, Poland has around 11 gigawatts of onshore wind capacity. The new rules could raise that capacity to 41 gigawatts by 2040, per Reuters.
The rules will also allow wind farms to be closer to residential areas while restricting projects from encroaching on national parks and protected natural areas.
The new legislation is part of Poland's broader effort to transition to renewable energy sources and away from dirty coal, its dominant source. Per the International Energy Agency, 59% of the planet-heating pollution Poland emits comes from coal.
Burning coal is a major contributor to the rise of global temperatures. According to National Geographic, coal puts out more carbon dioxide per unit of energy than any other fossil fuel.
Coal use is extremely unhealthy. Air pollution from burning coal has been blamed for 47,000 premature deaths annually in Poland.
Change is in the air. In 2024, Poland used less coal-fired power and nearly 30% of electricity was generated from these less expensive sources, per Reuters.
More affordable energy projects are in the works, including a 15-megawatt solar farm. Efforts are also being made to make the supply chain planet-friendly. The turbine towers for a new offshore wind project will be built with recycled steel.
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Heck yes! 💯 Removing barriers from renewable energy projects not only helps clean up the air and cool down the planet; it will also create jobs and provide a boost to the Polish economy.
"This is an important step in the government's efforts to reduce electricity prices in Poland," wrote Paulina Hennig-Kloska, minister of climate and environment, on X, formerly known as Twitter. "We are introducing solutions that will support the production of energy from renewable sources!"
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