Perspectives on renewable energy development as alternative to conventional energy in Poland

In recent years, the global economy has become increasingly interested in obtaining energy from renewable sources. This trend is mainly due to the necessity of reducing the negative environmental impact of conventional sources of energy. One of the leaders in making this change is the European Union. Energy policies and electrical systems of EU Member States are increasingly dependent on the development of renewable energy. This also translates to the energy policy of Poland as a member of the EU. In the coming years the power industry in Poland will confront a very difficult time because as a EU Member State, Poland will have to adapt to the policy targets on low and zero emissivity. In case of Poland, this process may face many obstacles. First of all, its domestic power industry is based on conventional sources of energy. The process of converting to renewable energy is inextricably linked with the necessity of reducing the use of fossil fuels, which are the source for a large portion of society. Moreover, the costs of providing the changes are very high, which can provide an additional barrier to the wider use of renewable energy. Despite these obstacles, the replacement of conventional energy sources with renewable energy is being observed in Poland. Due to the gravity of the problem, the authors conducted an analysis of the current state and perspectives on the development of renewable energy in Poland. The paper analyzes the development of renewable energy in the last few years in Poland, considering in particular the sources of this energy. An analysis of legal conditions in Poland about the use of renewable energy was also carried out. These conditions are particularly important for entrepreneurs investing in this area and the recipients of this energy. As practical examples, the ecological benefits to the environment, and the economic balance of an enterprise producing renewable energy have been shown. This enterprise produces wind energy (wind farm) and solar energy (photovoltaics). The presented topic has great social implication. It seems that besides economic and legal conditions, social awareness will have a significant impact on renewable energy development in the coming years in Poland and in many countries worldwide, especially those which have routinely used conventional energy sources.