Poland approves first fast-track renewable energy zones

Poland has introduced its first fast-track zones for renewable energy projects as the coal-dependent country seeks to speed up its transition to cleaner sources of electricity.

The regional assembly in Wielkopolska province, western Poland, this week approved plans covering 105.4 hectares across four municipalities, where investors will be able to develop solar farms under simplified planning and environmental procedures.

The environment ministry estimates that the changes, introduced under an EU directive, could reduce project preparation times from three to four years down to just one or two years.

Under the scheme, planning and much of the environmental assessment will be completed before investors apply for permits, allowing projects to move forward more quickly.

Environmental authorities will also have a maximum of 45 days to review projects with a capacity of at least 150 kW. Industry representatives told energy Świat OZE , a renewable energy news service, that obtaining an environmental decision can currently take up to 150 days.

The newly designated areas, known as Accelerated Renewable Energy Development Zones (OPRO), will be located in the municipalities of Złotów, Lwówek, Rawicz and Słupca. Together, they have an estimated technical potential of 66-80 megawatts of solar capacity, depending on the arrangement of the panels.

Maria Niewitała-Rej, a climate and energy policy analyst at the Reform Institute, a Warsaw-based think tank, told the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna newspaper that while “the scale of the Wielkopolska plan is modest, the adoption of the first resolutions is a step in the right direction”.

The creation of accelerated renewable energy development zones stems from the EU’s revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), which requires member states to designate areas where renewable energy projects can be developed more quickly.

Under the directive, permitting procedures in these zones should take no longer than 12 months for onshore projects and 24 months for offshore projects.

EU rules required the first zones to be designated by 21 February 2026, making Poland’s adoption several months late.

Poland has long had one of Europe’s most polluting energy sectors. The country still produces around half of its electricity from coal, by far the higher proportion in the EU.

However, the share of renewables has grown significantly in recent years. It nearly doubled from 14.7% of the energy mix in 2021 to 29.4% in 2025 . Onshore wind was the largest contributor last year, accounting for 14.2%, followed by solar at 12.1% and biomass at 1.8%.

Poland’s national energy and climate plan, approved in June, envisages coal accounting for just 0-5% of the energy mix by 2040. Around 15-16% will come from nuclear , 7-8% from gas, with most of the rest from renewables: onshore wind (22-27%), offshore wind (18-21%) and solar (14-18%).