Only 2 percent. used in Poland’s energy comes from abroad. So bad land is not anywhere else in the EU. In Europe, the worse it is only in the two island countries: Malta and Cyprus. The impossibility of bringing electricity from abroad, is one of the causes of the problems of our energy system.
Experts also pointed to one of the lowest in Europe shares diffuse sources in the structure of energy production or the smallest in per capita terms, the share of photovoltaic systems.
For this – as noted by the president of the Institute for Renewable Energy Grzegorz Wisniewski, Poland occupies last place in Europe in terms of water resources per capita per year, while our energy industry is three times more wodochłonny than the European.
Wisniewski noted that although the heat wave affected the whole of Europe is “no other EU country was, however, never in such a critical situation in terms of security of energy supply. High air temperatures and lower water levels in rivers have demonstrated how it differs Polish power of this functioning in the EU today. “
– In this situation a panacea for the problems of cooling power units and limits power transmission in the peak summer months there is announced the construction of further new thermal power stations, most of carbon, then nuclear and finally the gas – in this order is formed because the demand for water for cooling, 3-4 cu. m / MWh 1 cu. m / MWh. The interests of the energy sector based in more than 90 percent. for thermal power plants with such high consumption of water make Poland a decade can not implement the Water Framework Directive, since it would involve, among others, the introduction of a toll – he added.
In the hot August days in conventional power plants with once-through cooling, some blocks have to be disabled or working with incomplete power, because they were not able to work due to low water condition in rivers and lakes and their high temperature.
– The key moment there was a failure in the largest Polish power plant in Belchatow, which has been disconnected from the system. This was a direct cause notice 20 degree power. Operational Reserve Force did not help in mastering the difficult situation in the energy system. This is due to its construction – the operational reserve power goes under the residual portion of operating power units. Power reduction due to climatic factors and technical in the first place resulted in a lack of spare capacity that could enter the system. Operational Reserve did not contribute to making available further capacity Transmission System Operator, and only offered a salary that resources, which already in the system were available – wrote in a special report by experts Forum for Energy Studies.
Less Power summer
As said the head of the FAE Joanna Mackowiak – Pandera, the Polish energy system in the summer is always less available power than in winter.
This is because, because first our power plants in summer or they do not work at all or work at minimum load, only to heat water. In summer, less windy than in the winter, which means that less energy you get from windmills. Summer is also the time to repair power units and some of it is the summer off.
Meanwhile – as explained – the heat wave led to an increase in demand for energy – launched all over the country air conditioners, fans, refrigerators have to use more energy to maintain the temperature.
– load power system has increased to 22 GW – which is the current record – and although this is still less than in winter, which consumes more energy, it is more difficult to cover due to a smaller amount of power in the summer – she said.
As noted in the Polish power system peak load of summer occurs in the hours between 13.00 and 14.00 on weekdays.
– One of the causes of increased energy consumption Electricity at this time is to set some tariffs for households (tariff G12 and G12w) in such a way that between 13.00 and 15.00 approx. 15 percent. households benefit from a reduced rate for electricity distribution. In the winter, it makes sense, but in the summer encourages greater consumption, – she added.
Another reason is the fact that the transmission system operator – Polish Power Grid have at their disposal less than 200 MW in the form of intervention load reduction, ie. Management demand. – This was a fraction of what was actually needed and what actually could be obtained as long as the Transmission System Operator zakontraktowałby before adequate amounts of these resources – she noted.
Poland coped in a crisis moment?
When asked how Poland coped with the crisis Mackowiak – Pandera responds, on average.
In her opinion, trend analysis shows that extreme heat will appear more “frequently” and therefore the situation in August this year must be seen as a signal to seriously address this issue. This should be an event to prepare Polish energy system.
– We must first of all seriously think about diversifying units, because the individual thermal hot weather will always have problems with cooling. “
When in Poland lacked power, Germany had a surplus
Meanwhile, in Germany, which are saturated with photovoltaics, there were excess capacity in the system. On hot days our Western neighbors produced more than 24 GW from the sun, which is more than all our energy demand in the peak summer months ..
The development of photovoltaic technology improves energy security – particularly in summer, when the heat reduce the efficiency of thermal power stations, which among other things coal – she added.
But – as notes expert – the lack of coordination uncontrolled flow wheeled Poland could not take advantage of the energy imports from Germany, trying at the same time acquire electricity from the Czech Republic and Ukraine, where there are no significant surpluses.
– Addressing the issue of uncontrolled flows Wheel and improve energy trade with Germany should be a priority, especially due to the high share of photovoltaics on the western side of the border. Already, there are methods to improve the situation through efficient allocation of power in the area of cross-linking of the markets (market coupling), phase shifters – you need to use these funds, “- she said. You should also think about expansion joints north – at the time when in our occurred power shortage in Scandinavia due to extreme rainfall and increased production of hydro power plants, electricity prices reached the level of 6 g / kWh.
As said the head of the FAE, effective and too few in Poland deployed operation is controlled load reduction on demand management.
– The experiences of other countries show that over 10 per cent. of electricity demand during peak can be controlled and efficient way to reduce the introduction of a mechanism called. Demand response. The transmission system operator before recruiting volunteers to such action in exchange for compensation for willingness to reduce power consumption. The advantage of this solution is a lot – the operator can choose the cheapest offer, the recipient himself agrees to such a solution, ie ,, the wolf is satisfied and the sheep remains alive “. The flexibility of the electricity system should be a priority not only because of the extreme weather, but decrease overall system costs due to better match the RES. Costs of reducing demand for electricity in industry and services are not equal – some companies with less can reduce power consumption; for example – the difference between the switching off of air conditioning in offices, and the exclusion of cooling food – she said.
We insulating them
Our southern neighbors, despite the failure of the block nuclear power plant in Temelin, the better they coped with the hot weather. On the one hand, thanks to photovoltaics, the other – have much more than we the possibility of bringing energy from abroad. Meanwhile, the Polish energy system is one of the most isolated in Europe. Only 2 percent. energy comes from abroad. It is worse only in Malta and Cyprus.
According to Grzegorz Wisniewski solution to the imbalance of domestic supply and demand of electricity is dispersed and diverse technology renewable energy, and in the peak summer months – mainly solar power.
– The problem lies in the fact that in the current situation, adjust power to the most rational, proven and widespread in the EU solutions such as photovoltaics all over boiled even Vistula is not obvious. Policymakers and strong group of impact have no interest in changing and even clear that proving conclusively that thermal coal plant will not provide energy security in itself may not be sufficient to make the necessary changes in an unchanged for almost 15 years energy policy – notes.
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