The
European Commission said the EC approved on December 13 under EU State aid
rules a Polish renewable energy scheme and a reduced levy to finance the scheme
for energy-intensive users. According to the EU’s competition chief, this will
further EU energy and climate goals and ensure the global competitiveness of
energy-intensive users whilst preserving competition.
“We want to
make progress towards clean energy for the sake of our environment but also for
European economic growth. The Polish support scheme will increase the share of
green energy in Poland’s energy mix and help the country’s transition to low
carbon, environmentally sustainable energy, Competition Commissioner Margrethe
Vestager said.
“It will
also preserve the global competitiveness of companies that are heavily
dependent on energy. We approved the scheme today,” she added.
The scheme,
with a total budget of PLN 40 billion (around €9.4 billion), will grant State
support to producers of renewable electricity by means of competitive auctions.
The Commission found that the scheme will encourage the development of
different renewable technologies, in line with the requirements of EU State aid
rules, and will help Poland achieve its 2020 environmental and climate change
objectives. The measure will boost the share of renewable electricity produced
in Poland, while any distortion of competition caused by the State support is
minimised.
Poland has
also notified to the Commission plans to lower the financial burden on
undertakings in certain energy-intensive sectors, which will benefit from a
reduced surcharge to finance the support scheme, the EC said, adding that the
Commission has found that these reductions are in line with EU State aid rules,
which allow Member States to provide reductions to undertakings in certain
sectors that are particularly energy-intensive and exposed to international
competition, in order to ensure their global competitiveness.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/eu-approves-polish-support-scheme-renewable-energy/