Poland’s Coal Problem Has Changed

Poland is moving away from coal power faster than expected. Coal made up 72.5% of the country's electricity in 2021; by 2025 that had dropped to 52.7%, with renewables at 31.4%. In June 2025, renewables generated more electricity than coal over a full month for the first time. But the coal that's disappearing is being replaced by a mix of renewables and natural gas, not clean power alone — gas generation grew significantly both years.

The more complicated story is about reliability, not just how much electricity gets made. Poland still pays coal plants to stay available for its hardest hours — high demand combined with weak wind and no sun. A September 2025 auction locked in backup capacity commitments for 2026, including high-emitting coal plants, with similar auctions planned through 2028. At the same time, Poland curtailed twice as much renewable power in 2025 as the year before, because its grid can't always absorb all the solar and wind it produces. The country's first offshore wind farm started delivering power in mid-2026 and should eventually cover a few percent of national demand.

Forecasts expect renewables to keep growing fast and pass coal's annual output by 2028. None of this involves direct rebates or programs for individual households — it's a look at how one country's power grid is shifting away from coal, and why closing coal plants for good depends on more than just building solar and wind farms.