The impact of energy policy 2030 on the edge countries. Case study for Poland

The decision of the European Union to tighten climate policy has introduced new goals for the energy supply industry. The emission of CO₂ is to be reduced by 43% from 2005 levels. Additionally, the share of renewables in the total energy consumption should reached 27% in 2030. Such new targets will have significant impact on power production technologies, in particular in the edge countries where the electricity production is based on fossil fuels. This paper deals with the optimization of electricity production, taking into account the need to balance the demand for power and energy, and the fulfilment of climate policy goals. The presented methodologies for Energy Mix optimization are illustrated by the case study for Poland, an economy in which nearly 90% of electricity production is based on coal. Such economies have to undertake the largest transformation to follow the European climate policy targets. The impact on residential customers and energy intensive industries is also discussed.