What goes on in Poland on the 23rd of February.
Strączyński: It is impossible to replace coal in the energy and heating sectors without gas
„Gas will be a very important element of the energy transition, because we will not be able to replace coal in the energy and heating sectors without it,” said Paweł Strączyński, vice-president of PGE for financial matters, during the webinar organized by Energy Post.
„PGE wants to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. In 2030, the share of renewable energy sources in our portfolio will increase to 50 percent, and CO2 emissions will decrease by 85 percent. We supplement renewable sources with gas power plants, which are replacing coal. Gas is a transition fuel. We need financial support for our investments, approximately PLN 70 billion, public funds will not be enough, among others due to the pandemic. From the taxonomy point of view, it is important whether gas is considered environmentally friendly or not. It will be a very important element of the energy transition process, because we will not be able to replace coal in the power and heating sectors without it,” Strączyński explained.
„The taxonomy should be a tool used to achieve climate neutrality. It has to be flexible. The only way to transform Poland is to use gas instead of coal. Perhaps in a dozen or so years, hydrogen technologies will be more efficient. If the taxonomy does not recognize gas, the investment costs will be much higher,” he added.
