Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE), Poland’s largest energy company, is to invest significantly in offshore and onshore wind and could divest its coal-based generating assets
Presenting a new strategy for the company on 19 October 2020, PGE president of the board of management Wojciech Dąbrowski said the company planned to follow a path to decarbonisation of its generating assets and wanted to be climate neutral by 2050. “PGE Group will become a completely different company,” Mr Dąbrowski said.
“In the new strategy, we have responded to public expectations, regulatory and market changes, and have firmly committed to low and zero-carbon energy sources. In order to achieve this, we are accelerating the process of change in the company.”
At the moment PGE’s generation portfolio is more than 80% hard coal and lignite based.
By 2030, the company intends to have significantly strengthened its portfolio of renewable generation. It will use natural gas as a transition fuel, but subsequent investment in gas will depend on the pace of development of alternative technologies. “In 2050 we will provide our customers with 100% green energy,” Mr Dąbrowski said.
By 2030, PGE Group intends to build 2.5 GW of new offshore wind capacity and 3 GW of photovoltaics. It also plans to expand its onshore wind portfolio by at least 1 GW. By 2040, the company wants to have 6.5 GW of offshore wind generating capacity.
“We will implement an ambitious programme of building offshore and onshore windfarms and photovoltaics,” Mr Dąbrowski said. “We will also seek acquisition opportunities for further renewable projects.
“By 2030, the share of renewable energy in the group’s portfolio will be increased to 50% and carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 85%, which means 120M tonnes less CO2 emissions.”
“The potential of the Baltic Sea (for offshore wind) will be fully utilised and the PGE project base will be supplemented by another 3.0 GW,” said PGE.
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