An analysis of recent remarks by Anna Zalewska, a member of the Polish Parliament associated with the PiS party, highlights the ongoing debate over renewable energy in Poland. In a conversation on Radio ZET, she defended her party’s record on renewable expansion and challenged the opposing coalition’s portrayal of PiS as blocking progress. She also critiqued proposals from MPs linked to KO and Polski 2050 that aim to modify wind farm policy.
According to Zalewska, the country remains firmly in a period of growth and modernization. She pointed to historical and current figures to illustrate progress: in 2015 Poland had 7 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, and by 2023 that figure had risen to 27 gigawatts. She argued that the nation met the climate package targets set for 2020, achieving a 16.1 percent share of renewables in the energy mix, and she noted that roughly 10 gigawatts of capacity were under construction. These data points, she suggested, underscore readiness to reach at least 40 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2030. The overarching message is that Poland has not halted, but rather accelerated, its shift toward cleaner electricity generation.
She stressed that any discussion about wind energy must be anchored in the broader energy system, particularly in the development of transmission networks. Zalewska referenced anticipated projects in the nuclear sector and offshore wind that would depend on robust transmission infrastructure. She indicated that neglecting these interconnected elements would undermine plans rather than advance them, and she saw this as a rebuttal to what she considered misleading narratives from opponents.
“The wind farm bill has sparked significant controversy,”
Zalewska went on to describe the wind farm law as a focal point of contention. She recalled mobilizing support from a large segment of the public, including about 1.2 million citizens and more than 400 associations, who argued strongly against any policy changes that would devalue private homes near wind projects. Her account suggested that properties in some cases would lose value or face resale challenges if wind facilities were developed nearby, framing the issue as one of local impact and property rights. The host challenged her assertion by suggesting that PiS policies had limited the growth of solar photovoltaic capacity in Poland. Zalewska responded by presenting energy production statistics that she argued contradicted that claim, asserting that Poland ranks second in the EU for solar PV capacity after Germany, and third for wind energy capacity, based on the latest measurements. She emphasized that the real numbers reflect continued growth and investment in renewable technologies, countering the opponents’ narrative with defensible metrics.
In wrapping up her comments, Zalewska highlighted the broader context of Poland’s energy transition, noting the country’s status as a major energy market within the European Union and the ongoing need for a balanced mix of renewables, storage, and grid modernization. The discussion underscores a persistent political debate in Poland about how best to manage the pace and distribution of renewable projects, how to protect property interests, and how to align policy with long-term energy security and climate objectives. The exchange on Radio ZET illustrates how different political factions interpret progress, performance, and potential tradeoffs in Poland’s energy strategy. The conversation is part of a larger regional conversation about energy independence, price stability, and environmental responsibility in Central Europe, topics that resonate with observers and policymakers across Canada and the United States who follow European energy policy closely. The reporting on these remarks is attributed to Radio ZET as a source of the broadcast and to wPolityce for the original commentary.