The Polish system of green certificates has reached an impasse
During the past several years a big instability may be observed on the Polish market of biomass. According to experts of the profiling industry, the cause is in inadequate legislation in the local energy sector as well as in poorly organized system of functioning evidence documents related to energy sources. Experts state that Polish market of green certificates has being undergone a big decline for a long time.
According to Peter Chopek, a representative from the Department of Renewable Energy of the Ministry of Economy, ill-conceived pricing in this market has led to the situation when there is too much so-called alternative energy in Poland. Polish state really made ​​commitments before the European Union connected with the increase of "green" energy share usage. However, due to the overabundance of such certificates, too many industries began to use the technology of co-firing, which is not justified in many respects. Polish politicians are now working on a bill that will reduce the number of functioning green certificates by limiting the access to them from the producers’ side.
It is worth noting that, for example, in Germany co-firing with biofuel and mineral coal burning is not practiced. There is the limit on the power of installations on the level of 20 MW. If the equipment exceeds this figure the company has no longer the right to receive subsidies. This is due to the fact that, according to German politicians, large installations are not conducive to balanced and even development of their energy sector.
Experts believe that Germany achieved considerable success in the use of alternative energy sources thanks for the law EEG, according to which the amount of subsidy for the production of energy from "green" sources depends on the type of applied fuel and technology. German legislation features the specific fixed amount for kilowatt per hour, which the manufacturer will receive. These payments are guaranteed for 20 years.
The majority of Polish experts confirm that the distributed energy engineering will promote the development of biomass market. Also, in their opinion, the biomass burnt in coal-fired units during co-firing is used incorrectly in Poland. First of all it must be applied at local boilers for heating, and not for co-firing, which is practiced only for the sake of green certificates and the opportunity to receive benefits. Numerous studies confirmed that biomass will work much more effectively if to use it on a small scale (60-100 km). At the same time, many specialists say that the talk about competition between small-and large-scale energy is not correct as only the market may determine whatever competitiveness.
