Poland remains the only European Union country without an updated national energy strategy. Due to the failure to update its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), the European Commission has filed a lawsuit against Poland with the Court of Justice of the EU. Experts from WiseEuropa argue that the ongoing work on the document creates an opportunity to expand it with provisions supporting the development of citizen energy initiatives, which are currently insufficiently addressed in government strategies. They highlight the key role of energy communities in balancing the grid and strengthening local system resilience.
“The development of citizen energy and energy communities offers a real opportunity to increase local resilience, better harness renewable energy potential, and engage communities in the energy transition. However, due to the high complexity of the community model—and the need to adapt the technological, regulatory and economic environment to that complexity—fully tapping into citizen energy will not be possible without bold action, coherent strategies, clear guidelines, support tools, and well-designed regulation,” says Michał Wierzbowski, senior expert and advisor at WiseEuropa, and author of the report ‘Elements of the Transformational Puzzle: Recommendations for the Development of Energy Communities’.
The report stresses that energy communities could become one of the key tools for integrating renewable energy sources (RES) with the national power system. Initiatives that bring together local governments, businesses and residents make it possible to balance energy locally at the municipal or county level, reducing pressure on transmission infrastructure. According to Wierzbowski, the energy transition requires not only new generation capacity but also smart integration of distributed sources into the system. The report notes that in Poland, community energy is still developing in a “stand-alone” model—largely disconnected from the National Power System (KSE). Although the law formally allows for the creation of communities, it does not clearly define the role they should play in energy balancing or system services.
“It is therefore crucial to develop a clear vision that enables all stakeholders—from public administration and grid operators to local communities—to align around a shared goal and direct their efforts toward the growth of citizen energy. Energy communities cannot be treated as a trend or a grassroots experiment; their role must be carefully considered, with a clearly defined place in the system. Real value emerges only from a well-planned structure in which the various elements complement each other,” Wierzbowski emphasizes.
WiseEuropa recommends integrating the development of citizen energy into the new version of the NECP. The document should clearly outline the goals and technical measures necessary to support the integration of RES into the system—not only through targets for installed capacity, but also through legal and organizational tools enabling their implementation. Without such an approach, the report’s authors warn, Poland risks repeating past mistakes from the early development of photovoltaics.
“We need an evolutionary process with a clearly defined long-term objective—full integration of energy communities into the model of system management, balancing, and system services,” the WiseEuropa representative adds.
The report highlights the need to develop a long-term strategy for local energy development and to ensure its integration with other strategic documents. It also calls for the creation of a technical and economic model for the operation of energy communities and clusters within the framework of the national power grid and energy market.
According to the expert, municipalities also require training and informational support, as well as assistance in securing funding for local energy projects. The Ministry of Climate and Environment recently announced the results of a funding call that will allocate 709 million PLN to support investments in energy clusters. The funds—provided under the 2021–2027 European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment program—will support grid modernization, energy storage installations, and the development of renewable energy in municipalities. But the WiseEuropa report emphasizes that financial support must be accompanied by systemic reforms.
“Poland needs a smart approach based on a clearly defined vision of a system in which each element—from large conventional units to renewables to local communities and storage facilities—has its place and role. The energy transition is already moving us toward a more decentralized model, and it is difficult to imagine returning to a fully centralized structure in terms of generation. Decentralization is a fact and will continue to grow. The key challenge is the proper integration of all subsystems within the national grid,” says Wierzbowski.
In June, the European Commission brought a case against Poland before the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to update its NECP. Polish authorities did not meet the obligation to submit the revised plan by June 2024, making it more difficult to assess progress toward climate and energy targets.
The most recent version of the document was published by the Ministry of Climate and Environment in July. It states that “the development of citizen energy communities, energy clusters and energy cooperatives is one of the key pillars of modern energy transition. These local initiatives not only strengthen the resilience of the electricity grid, but also enable active participation of citizens and local governments in energy production and management.” The ministry has announced further administrative and legal improvements as well as support schemes for clusters and cooperatives. Proposed measures include faster permitting pathways for new investments, the launch of a National Contact Point for RES, the implementation of a “Local Government Energy System Simulator” to help municipalities analyze their needs and opportunities, and the establishment of an Energy Transition Support Center to encourage the creation of community energy initiatives. The NECP estimates that around 300 energy communities could operate in Poland by 2030, although this figure is not presented as a binding target.
The WiseEuropa report was developed as part of the project “COMMENCE – Community Energy in Central Europe”, funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUKN).
