Making Poland’s energy infrastructure more sustainable

The EU-funded SuPREME project will help to promote a conversion to renewable energy systems and resources in Poland by twinning one of the country’s best energy research centre with more advanced EU centres of excellence in the field.

Poland’s economic progress has come at some environmental cost – its history in electricity production resulted in it registering the highest rate of coal production of any EU country in 2009. Poland is Europe’s third largest polluter and is home to 30 of Europe’s most damaging power plants.

However, Poland’s demand for electricity is also twice the EU average. This means that energy must continue to be generated in similar quantities, albeit in a considerably more sustainable manner. Renewable energy systems (RES) are a logical solution, but unlike traditional power facilities, RES can lead to unpredictable and variable outputs depending on the weather and other seasonal and geographical factors.

To address the challenge, the EU is funding IMP-PAN – one of Poland’s best energy research centres – as part of the SuPREME project. SuPREME will promote the exchange of knowledge, skills and expertise between IMP-PAN and leading EU centres of excellence in the field, such as the University of Aalborg ,the University of Twente and the European Sustainable Energy Innovation Alliance.

Together, the centres will develop integrated renewable energy management systems at IMP-PAN’s research centre that can cater for Poland’s unique energy requirements. A technical transition plan and technical scenarios modelling the production and consumption of different energy forms in systems customised for local and regional development are part of the plan.

IMP-PAN’s complex of buildings will be treated as a living laboratory, and will serve as a test case for supplying locally available renewable energy in the most efficient and effective way.

The project will also fund twinning activities, including extended staff exchanges, an annual summer school, and the joint publication of papers and research project proposals. This will ultimately create a long-lasting and effective partnership between the research centres.