The Polish electricity sector is experiencing a paradigm shift. In June 2025, renewable energies generated 44.1% of the electricity, surpassing coal and lignite for the first time in the country’s history, which contributed 43.7%, according to preliminary data from the Energy Forum (Forum Energii).
Although the difference is narrow, the data marks a symbolic moment in the energy transition of a country historically reliant on fossil fuels.
The data is part of a growing trend: in the second quarter of the year, the coal share fell to 45.2%, making it the first quarter where this source represented less than half of the electricity generated.
A partial change, but with strong signals
Despite the progress of renewables, the majority of energy in Poland still comes from fossil fuels, especially through natural gas thermal power plants. However, data from the Instrat foundation reveal that on June 29, emissions-free sources reached 49.5% of the daily mix, nearing the symbolic threshold of half.
In the first days of July, there was a slight decrease in the share of renewable energy sources (RES) to 33-34%, attributed to the lower seasonal efficiency of photovoltaic installations. The sector warns that winter months could see more pronounced setbacks due to the same limitation.
Structural challenges and an incomplete transition
One of the main challenges facing Poland is the removal of regulatory and technical barriers that slow down the energy transition. Although renewable generation is advancing, the country’s total energy consumption remains linked to high emission levels.
Since Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004, two opposing trends are observed:
- 38% decrease in coal consumption
- 41% increase in oil use
- 43% increase in natural gas
According to the report Transformacja energetyczna Polski 2025, Poland continues to rank among the world’s highest emitters, both in terms of emissions per unit of GDP and per capita energy consumption. Only countries like Kuwait, South Africa, Kazakhstan, and China surpass it in these indicators.
A political signal in the European energy matrix
The symbolic displacement of coal by renewables in the Polish electricity mix has strategic value in the European context, where decarbonization is a central axis of the Green Deal.
Poland — considered for years as one of the most reluctant economies to abandon coal — is starting to show signs of a turning point, although analysts warn that the transition will only be effective if it extends to the entire energy and economic system of the country.
