Poland’s Next Government Halts Wind Energy Plans After Backlash

(Bloomberg) -- Poland’s incoming government has suspended plans to make it easier to build onshore wind farms following criticism that the proposed changes were too favorable to industry. 

The debacle comes as a blow to pro-European Union parties that won a majority in the Oct. 15 parliamentary election promising to improve relations with Brussels and speed up the country’s transition to renewable energy.

The lawmakers included the new rules for the construction of onshore wind farms in a draft law, submitted to parliament last month, that would impose a power-price freeze. It proposed easing distance rules between wind farms and homes and simplifying building and planning requirements for such projects.

The outgoing Law & Justice party said the plan was drawn up by lobbyists and would only favor big wind energy companies. Some critics also said the rules may allow for land expropriation. 

The coalition rejected the accusations, saying that the expansion of onshore wind farms would help rein in rising electricity prices, as the energy they produce is cheaper than the one generated from coal, which Poland relies on. 

Parliament Speaker Szymon Holownia said the wind farm bill will now be carved out from the draft law on energy prices and discussed after the new government is sworn in next week. 

The new coalition plans to speed up the country’s exit from coal, which the outgoing Law & Justice government wanted to keep until 2049 and was criticized for blocking investment in onshore wind farms. 

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