A research team from Poznań University of Economics and Business and SMA Solar Technology AG spoke to installers, designers, distributors and manufacturers in the Polish solar industry to identify the main barriers to PV development. They highlighted a lack of connection capacity and the prices of non-renewable energy sources as the main problems.
A team of researchers has analyzed the legal, economic, environmental, technical and social factors influencing the development of solar energy in Poland.
Their research paper, “Determinants of solar photovoltaic development in Poland”, available in the October issue of Renewable energyidentifies key barriers from the perspective of installers, designers, distributors and manufacturers working in the industry.
The main determinants have been identified through a literature review from 2019 to 2023 and a survey of the key players in the sector. According to respondents, a lack of connection capacity, prices of non-renewable energy sources and a change in billing methods from net metering to net billing are the main factors affecting the development of solar energy in Poland.
Designers and installers were most likely to mention grid connection as a key challenge. In response, the research paper says that adequate investment in transmission network development, network stabilization and network formation, and definitive separation between trading and distribution companies are key to future development.
About 55% of designers and installers also mentioned the introduction of net billing, implemented in 2022, as an important factor.
Distributors said the biggest problem is the price of non-renewable energy sources. Distributors generated the highest profits during the period of highest price levels for non-renewable energy sources, while the industry’s problems and market collapse coincided with the decline in the price of fossil fuels.
Only 20% of respondents said that political changes affect the development of the sector, and even fewer agreed that the situation in Ukraine affects purchasing decisions. Social factors had the lowest impact; only 10% called them important.
The research team used Bartlett’s sphericity test to isolate these factors, which showed that sustainable development, business and investment are the three main components influencing solar energy development in Poland.
“The findings show that sustainable development factors, including Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) reporting and direct lines, will have the greatest impact on solar energy development,” the researchers said, adding that the identified barriers need to be addressed and eliminated to ensure the stable development. development of solar energy in Poland.
Looking ahead, the authors predict that Poland’s solar industry will continue to develop, in line with the European Union’s climate policy. The research team consisted of academics from Poznań University of Economics and Business and SMA Solar Technology AG.
Poland added approximately 4.6 GW of solar energy in 2023, bringing its cumulative capacity above 17 GW.
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