Realpolitik and renewables: what’s behind Poland’s bold energy transition?

IMAGE: The Economist

Just a decade ago, Poland was an archetype of coal dependence, the European Union’s biggest polluter. Today, it is , particularly , earning itself for . This shift is as surprising as it is strategic, and raises a crucial question: is this transformation a real energy revolution or a clever move on the European geopolitical chessboard?

This year has seen Poland introduce bold energy policies. State-owned , together with partners such as Denmark’s , is developing the , which is expected to generate power from 2027. In addition, to integrate up to , 45GW of PV and 19GW of onshore wind by 2034.

This push towards renewables is complemented by substantial financial support. Poland has launched financed by EU recovery funds to support the construction of offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea. In addition, .

Why this sudden change? The answer is not only environmental. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland was forced to rethink…