Support for the Solar Thermal Industry in Poland

A unique chance for the solar thermal industry in Poland: “Developing a renewable energies industry” is one of the many targets of the comprehensive “Infrastructure and Environment” programme for Poland (2007 to 2014).

“Development difficulties in Poland are to a great extent caused by a lack of infrastructure. In order to increase the country’s competitiveness and attract investors, these obstacles have to be overcome.” These are the words introducing “The Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme” (2007 to 2014) of the European Commission. Its solution to reaching the aforementioned objectives include supporting the development of a technical infrastructure, but also trying to simultaneously protect and improve the state of the natural environment and the population’s health. It is the biggest-ever operational programme in the whole of the European Union with a budget of EUR 37.56 billion. You will find more details about the programme’s measures in the attached document.

According to the Institute for Renewable Energy (IEO) based in Warsaw, Poland, the solar industry can benefit from this programme as well. Especially in Priority 10 – “Energy security, including the diversification of energy sources” – the paper explicitly states that “It will also be possible to develop the renewable energies industry”. Aneta Wiecka from IEO expects the first call in the second half of 2009.

The programme’s main target group will be companies, which want to set up a new, advanced manufacturing line producing renewable heat technologies (e.g., from solar collectors), electricity or bio-fuels. The investment costs of eligible projects have to be between EUR 5 and 7.5 million.

Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme (2007 to 2014) for download