Assessment of the possibility of replacing the Bełchatów Power Plant
author: enervis energy advisors GmbH
Energy from the sun, wind and gas will replace the Bełchatów Power Plant by 2035 at the latest.
Key trends:
- the costs of obtaining energy from fossil fuels is increasing (the prices of CO2 emission allowances and of the fuels themselves are increasing)
- the costs of renewable energy sources (RES) are constantly decreasing
- the cost of electricity from lignite over its entire life cycle exceeds the cost of electricity from RES and continues to grow
- there is no prospect of a decrease in the cost of energy from nuclear power plants
The scenario considered for the coal phase-out will cause:
- a sharp drop in CO2 emissions between 2025 and 2035
- additional reduction of CO2 emissions by 20% due to an early shutdown of the Bełchatów Power Plant
- 42-64% less emissions of substances harmful to health and air quality than in the Energy Policy plans for 2040
- 64 billion euros in savings, including 4 billion euros due to an early shutdown of the Bełchatów Power Plant
- 45% more jobs in the Polish solar and wind energy sector than in lignite
- the country’s greater independence from energy imports thanks to RES
The scenario:
- gradual replacement of 11 lignite-fired units, i.e. 85% of the capacity of the Bełchatów Power Plant, with a mix of onshore wind farms, photovoltaic energy and gas by 2030
- shutdown of the last lignite unit in the Bełchatów Power Plant by 2035