The Polish Ministry of Energy has unveiled a long-awaited strategy for the decarbonisation of the country’s district heating sector, which would require investments of up to PLN 231 billion (€53 billion) by 2040. The plan, which envisions a near-total shift away from coal towards power-to-heat technologies, has drawn cautious support from industry players but also sharp criticism over its technological assumptions and the pace of change.
Poland’s district heating system is unique in Europe: 64% of its heat comes from cogeneration (combined heat and power), compared with an EU average of 28%. With around 15 million users and 23,000 km of networks, the sector currently relies on coal for 57.4% of its heat and natural gas for 15.2%. The new strategy aims to slash that dependence, targeting a 52.2% share for renewable energy sources by 2040, supported by 576 GWh of heat storage capacity. The shift is expected to cost between PLN 197 and 231 billion, largely funded by the EU Modernisation Fund and the Energy Support Fund.
The document, which has just entered its final round of consultations, stresses that electrification and sector coupling are essential. Technologies such as heat pumps, electrode boilers and induction boilers would absorb surplus electricity from wind and solar farms, turning the heating network into a flexible buffer for the power system. However, because so much of Poland’s electricity – up to 14% – comes from cogeneration plants, any sudden closure of coal-fired units risks destabilising the national grid.
Industry divided over the role of cogeneration
Marcin Laskowski, president of the Polish District Heating Association (PTEC) and vice-president of state-owned PGE, welcomed the strategy’s general direction. – The strategy correctly emphasises the need for both decarbonisation and security of supply, as well as keeping heat affordable for consumers – he told WNP. PTEC particularly appreciates the recognition of local planning and the importance of meeting the criteria for efficient district heating systems, which unlocks EU funding. Nevertheless, Laskowski insisted that a hybrid model is indispensable. In a simulation for the city of Rzeszów, PTEC showed that phasing out cogeneration plants and replacing them solely with power-to-heat units could lead to serious supply shortfalls. – Local, dispatchable cogeneration cannot be fully replaced by electrification alone – he argued.
The strategy does acknowledge the need to maintain cogeneration where it is critical for grid stability, but critics say that concession is far too vague. The document, according to PTEC, should explicitly mandate a hybrid approach rather than leave it to case-by-case assessments.
Heat pumps versus electric boilers: a critical distinction
A more fundamental objection comes from Paweł Lachman, president of the Polish Heat Pump Association (PORT PC). He argues that the strategy conflates two very different technologies under the umbrella of “power-to-heat”. – A heat pump produces several units of heat from one unit of electricity by drawing energy from the environment, while an electric boiler does a nearly 1:1 conversion – explained Lachman. The strategy plans for 5.5 GWt of power-to-heat capacity by 2040, of which 3.07 GWt would come from electric boilers – meaning less efficient boilers would have a larger share than heat pumps. Lachman warns that this is not just a technical misstep but a strategic one: electric boilers should serve only as a tool for absorbing surplus renewable electricity, not as a primary heat source. – The real sector coupling means reducing fossil fuel use through efficient electric technologies, heat storage, and energy efficiency – not just burning electricity to make heat – he said.
Both organisations agree that the strategy is a step forward, but the final version still needs to reconcile these competing visions. The document covers only the period up to 2040, and a broader Polish Energy Policy (PEP) to 2050 is already being drafted. Lachman noted that the electrification of heat must become a measurable, central goal of national energy policy, not a side effect. – Electrification of heat cannot remain a by-product of the transformation; it must be one of the main, measurable goals of Poland’s energy policy – he concluded.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Kacper Świsłowski / PTWP
