The renewable energy microinstallation sector in Poland has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. According to the 2024 Microinstallations Energy Generation Report, published by Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (URE), the number of grid-connected microinstallations reached 1,544,574 units, with a total installed capacity of 12,749.89 MW.

This boom has been largely driven by prosumers, individuals or businesses that both generate and consume their own energy and control 99% of these installations. By the end of 2024, prosumers operated 1,522,655 microinstallations, representing a capacity of 12,045 MW.

“The growth of microinstallations in Poland has been exponential over the past decade, reflecting strong investment in renewable energy and greater energy independence for households and businesses”, states the URE report.

Solar Energy: The Driving Force of Change

Photovoltaics (PV) is the dominant technology in Poland’s microinstallation sector. Of the 1.54 million installations, 1.54 million use solar energy (12,735 MW), accounting for 99% of the total installed capacity.

Other renewable sources play a marginal role in the system. Wind energy is represented by 103 microinstallations with a combined capacity of just 0.8 MW. Hydropower includes 275 installations with a total capacity of 7.7 MW. Biogas and biomass together account for only 2.78 MW, spread across 76 installations.

Solar photovoltaics have become the preferred choice due to the falling costs of solar panels, government incentives, and ease of installation. However, this heavy reliance on a single type of energy also poses challenges for grid management and energy storage.

“Poland’s high dependence on solar energy means the country needs to strengthen its storage infrastructure and smart grids to absorb generation variability”, warn experts in the energy transition sector.

Grid Contribution: Over 8.5 TWh in 2024

The impact of microinstallations on the Polish electricity system is significant. In 2024, these installations fed more than 8.5 TWh into the national grid, of which 8.3 TWh came from prosumers.

This growth has been continuous since 2018. Between 2018 and 2019, generation increased by 122%, followed by a 211% increase from 2019 to 2020. In 2021, growth reached 138%, before slowing to 109% in 2022. However, in 2023, the expansion rate fell to 27%, and in 2024, it slowed further to 17%.

Despite this steady expansion, there are signs of deceleration. In 2022, the number of microinstallations grew by 41%, in 2023 by 15%, and in 2024 by only 10%. This could indicate market saturation in certain segments or the need for new incentive strategies.

Challenges to Grid Stability

The rapid expansion of microinstallations presents new challenges for Poland’s energy market. The high concentration of solar generation has created stability issues for the grid, particularly during peak production hours.

According to Strategic Energy Europe, Poland is on track to install 32 GW of renewable energy in the coming years, but the country’s grid infrastructure is not yet prepared to accommodate this level of intermittent generation. This has placed increasing pressure on grid operators to develop solutions such as energy storage systems, smart grids, and demand management tools.

“If Poland does not accelerate the modernisation of its transmission and distribution infrastructure, the growth of renewable energy could become a problem rather than a solution”, warn analysts from the energy sector.

Regulation and Policies for the Future

The Polish government has played a key role in driving the expansion of microinstallations through subsidies, preferential tariffs, and supportive regulations for prosumers. However, the regulatory framework continues to evolve.

From July 2025, new regulations will allow virtual prosumers to generate energy at a different location from where it is consumed. This change could further expand the adoption of renewable energy and improve grid flexibility.

Additionally, Poland’s energy strategy aims to diversify its energy mix beyond solar by encouraging the development of offshore wind and green hydrogen technologies.

Poland Facing a New Energy Challenge

The boom in microinstallations in Poland has positioned the country as a leader in distributed renewable generation in Europe. With over 1.5 million installations, prosumers have evolved from being minor players to taking on a central role in the country’s energy transition.

However, the current model faces critical challenges. Grid management is becoming increasingly complex due to the dominance of solar energy. The slowdown in growth suggests that incentives may need to be adjusted. The modernisation of energy infrastructure is crucial to ensure the seamless integration of new renewable sources.

With evolving regulations and a commitment to new technologies, Poland has the opportunity to solidify its leadership in clean energy. However, success will depend on how well grid stability is managed and how efficiently these renewable sources are integrated into the energy market.