Silesia has all the advantages to become the national centre of renewable energy (OZE) and new technologies. For such a transformation, however, close cooperation between stakeholders is necessary. The structure of an energy cluster is perfect for this purpose – assessed the participants of the panel “The use of clusters in the revitalization of post-mining areas”, which took place in Szczyrk within the 22nd International Scientific and Technical Conference KOMTECH.
According to Barbara Adamska, President of the Polish Energy Storage Association, the development of new legal regulations is necessary to make the functioning of energy clusters finally profitable.
“Currently, they do not provide simple benefits. And it’s not that the technology isn’t there, or is commercially immature. Services and added value are not valued in the first place, resulting in no locally operating energy storage facilities. It is necessary to have a mechanism rewarding the reduction of demand, which will also be introduced by clusters,” said Barbara Adamska.
Energy clusters are agreements of locally operating entities dealing with the production, consumption, storage, and sale of electricity, heat, cold, electric energy in transport and fuels.
KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, the organizer of the conference, is a research and development institution, whose task is to develop innovative solutions for the mining industry.
In July this year, changes were introduced to the legal order so that energy storage can be a separate business activity. The amendment to the Renewable energy Act being prepared at the Ministry of Climate and Environment is expected to introduce further benefits for stakeholders. The space left after mining activities is a great opportunity to use the potential of the KOMAG Institute’s competence.
At the end of the panel, the Institute of Mining Technology KOMAG signed the document of accession to KIKE (National Board of Energy Clusters). The accession document was signed by Dariusz Prostański, PhD, representing ITG KOMAG and Albert Gryszczuk, President of KIKE.