Przyszłość energii

Accelerating climate change and the ongoing degradation of the natural environment necessitate the search for stable, safe, and low-emission energy sources. Although renewable energy sources are gaining importance, their inherent intermittency limits their ability to fully meet global energy demand. Conventional nuclear power based on nuclear fission, in turn, faces challenges related to safety and the long-term storage of radioactive waste. This article examines the potential of nuclear fusion as an alternative, virtually inexhaustible source of energy. It outlines the key differences between nuclear fission and fusion, emphasizing the high operational safety of fusion reactors and the absence of long-lived radioactive waste. The paper discusses the current state of fusion research, including the ITER project, the growing involvement of the private sector, and recent scientific breakthroughs in China and the United States. It also identifies the major technological and economic challenges associated with the commercialization of fusion technology, as well as its prospective role in the future global energy transition.

Poland’s energy transition currently represents one of the key developmental challenges, both in the national context and in the broader European and global dimensions. Its dynamics are closely linked to the debate on the future competitiveness of the European Union, the necessity of mobilizing investment, and the development of strategic energy technologies. The energy transition is perceived as a process driven by climate pressures, geopolitical conditions, and regulatory commitments, while simultaneously constituting an opportunity to enhance energy security, economic competitiveness, and quality of life. Particular attention is devoted to the consequences of delays in the transition across economic, social, and health dimensions, as well as to the need for a just transition that takes into account regions and occupational groups most affected by structural change. The article identifies three key analytical axes of the discussion: geopolitics and regulation, technological innovation and the architecture of the power system, and the role of decentralization accompanied by local cooperation in building a resilient energy system.

Over the last decade, European energy policy has shifted its focus from individual Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEB) to the scale of districts and cities. At the core of this shift lies the concept of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), defined as urban areas or groups of buildings that are highly energy-efficient and flexible, achieve at least a net-zero annual greenhouse gas emissions balance, and manage local renewable energy surpluses, while simultaneously ensuring a high quality of life and social equity.

This chapter critically analyses the potential and role of PEDs in Poland, moving beyond the energy balance perspective towards the challenges of power system stability. Based on the latest analyses by transmission system operators, European strategic documents, and case studies of Grid Forming (GFM) technology deployments, the hypothesis that PED implementation is necessary as a stabilising element of the Polish Power System (KSE) is examined. The research indicates that in the face of declining system voltage stiffness and inertia, PEDs equipped with advanced grid-forming (GFM) inverters and flexibility systems are becoming a necessary condition for a safe and complete decarbonisation process.

This interdisciplinary approach enables the linkage of the urban planning concept of PEDs with the operational security requirements of the power system (Security of Supply). It is demonstrated that under the specific conditions of the Polish energy transition, characterised by decreasing short-circuit power, PEDs equipped with advanced GFM inverters cease to be merely an urban concept and instead become a technological sine qua non for the stable and full decarbonisation of the Polish Power System. Consequently, the author formulates the following research question: Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) in the context of power system stability challenges – are they a necessary condition for the success of the technical and systemic energy transition in Poland?

The Polish energy market is facing three challenges: the need for costly but necessary transformation; instability of supply from renewable sources; and a lack of storage facilities. It is also under pressure from global commodity prices. One way to stabilise the system and increase its resilience could be through energy cooperatives. This study aims to determine whether energy cooperatives could play a significant role in implementing the energy transition in Poland, particularly in rural areas and small towns, and how they could contribute to achieving the goal of zero emissions by 2050.

The development of marine renewable energy is becoming an increasingly important aspect of expanding the energy mix of individual countries and implementing sustainable development strategies. Marine renewable energy comprises offshore wind energy and ocean energy, the latter encompassing technologies that directly harness the natural energy of seas and oceans. This chapter aims to present the current state of marine renewable energy, with a particular focus on the European perspective. Among the types of marine renewable energy, only offshore wind energy has reached a broad scale of commercial deployment and represents the sole significant source of renewable energy from the seas and oceans. For this reason, it plays a crucial role in diversifying energy production in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. In contrast, ocean energy, although encompassing a wide range of technological solutions, has a considerably lower production potential, and existing installations worldwide are largely of a research and demonstration nature. These technologies have not yet reached full commercial maturity, and in the foreseeable future, ocean energy is not expected to constitute a significant component of the global energy mix.

The energy transition is accelerating, and global climate regulations are leading to a move away from fossil fuels. This results in the emergence of “stranded,” meaning stranded costs, assets, and resources. One way to reduce the scale of this problem is the development of alternative energy-storage technologies that can be adapted for use in post-mining infrastructure. Potential solutions include systems such as UPSH, A-CAES, MTES, and other innovative gravitational energy-storage technologies, which can additionally help increase energy stability amid the ongoing transformation of the energy system.

This chapter, from the perspective of natural resources, discusses issues related to powering economic processes using nuclear energy, renewable energy sources, and energy storage. Ensuring an adequate energy supply and its equitable distribution at national and global levels while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions has become a problem in urgent need of resolution. This is associated with a shift away from the combustion of fossil fuels and toward clean, “reen” technologies. However, these processes are not free from environmental, social, and political threats. These stem from the geographic distribution of the natural resources crucial for the development of renewable energy technologies, as well as from differences in the development levels of individual countries and political and institutional differences. The fight for non-energy resources crucial for electrification is entering a new phase, where environmental issues intertwine with politics and the escalation of international tensions and wars. The chapter considers uranium, copper, graphite, cadmium, cobalt, lithium, nickel, and rare earth elements.

Energy policy in the European Union member states during the first decades of the 21st century has become one of the key domains shaping regional security, economic stability, and political sovereignty. Limited availability of domestic energy resources, combined with high demand from European economies, led to a strong dependence on energy imports, particularly from the Russian Federation. This chapter analyzes the evolution of the European Union’s energy policy, with special emphasis on Poland and Germany, as well as the consequences of strategic decisions taken in this field. Particular attention is devoted to the use of energy resources by Russia as a tool of geopolitical influence and destabilization of EU member states. Events at the turn of the second and third decades of the 21st century, including the war in Ukraine, revealed the scale of miscalculations in the existing approach to energy security and contributed to a fundamental redefinition of European energy policy. As a result, the European Union has initiated an accelerated process of supply diversification, energy transition, and strengthening of security in its broader sense.

Climate change, as one of the most important challenges of the modern world, requires urgent action, coordinated at the global level. Past experience shows that efforts to do so are ineffective and global greenhouse gas emissions are steadily increasing. For this reason, there is an urgent need for reduction measures in the energy sector, which is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions. Climate agreements therefore affect the shape of the energy sector and its future development. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of climate policy on the energy sector and the changes that may occur in this area in the future. At the same time, an attempt was made to assess the possibility of implementing the political declarations made at the UN. The study was prepared on the basis of a critical analysis of the available foreign literature, i.e. mainly reports of international and non-governmental organizations.