The Energia Plus program is gaining momentum. The proposals include, inter alia, prosumer renewable energy installations up to 500 kW for companies, real estate tax relief and the possibility of using the white certificate system. The program is to be constructed in such a way that the benefits of being a prosumer do not burden other energy consumers.
The Ministry of Enterprise and Technology has specific proposals regarding the Energia Plus program. They will be dealt with by the Interministerial Team for Facilitating Investment in Prosument Renewable Energy Sources Installations appointed by the Prime Minister. The changes relate to facilitating the development of prosumer energy on a much larger scale than before. They will also adapt the Polish Renewable Energy Act to the requirements of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), but only in the field of electricity production by prosumers.
Prosumer, in accordance with the current statutory definition, produces electric energy in the RES micro-installation in order to use it for own needs, not related to the business activity. Possible sale concerns only generated surplus energy above the quantity consumed.
The developed solutions make it possible to extend this definition to all categories of final recipients. The benefits are to bring not only the micro, small and medium enterprises, but also households, local governments, public institutions: schools, hospitals, offices, etc. The renewable energy prosumer may be, for example, an entrepreneur, but he should not professionally produce eclectic energy in order to its further resale.
The program proposes specific legal solutions that are to make its development more dynamic. The basic assumption is to minimize public funds provided to support prosumer activities. The idea was to encourage final consumers to generate electricity for their own needs in a different way. It is to be influenced by the maximum simplification of the investment and construction process related to placing micro and small renewable energy installations. At the same time, one should deviate from operating aid in the form of various subsidies or subsidies, which encourage maximum autoconsumption of generated electricity.
The main part of the proposed solutions concerns small and microinstallations regardless of the type of RES, in principle photovoltaic is dedicated. It is the simplest for integrated use in various facilities, regardless of end recipients.
Prepared legislative proposals are also intended to reflect a balanced distribution of benefits and responsibilities related to the development of prosumer energy.
First of all, the introduction of the transposition of the prosumer concept for renewable energy according to the RED II Directive was proposed, i.e. extending the concept to small and medium enterprises. This will be followed by the introduction of a discount instrument for renewable prosumers with installations up to 500 kW in the RES Act. This would reduce energy costs for local governments and entrepreneurs by generating electricity for their own needs with the possibility of “storing” surpluses in the power grid.
Prosumers will also be given the option of passing “accumulated” surplus electricity to subsequent settlement periods. This allows them to be used for their own needs during the smaller generation.
The Energia Plus program assumes the elimination of part of distribution costs added to energy bills on the prosumer side. The Renewable Energy Act will introduce an alternative instrument for the sale of surplus energy to any licensed entity, not necessarily to the obliged seller, at the free market price. In this respect, the obligation of the obligated seller was also maintained if it was not possible to sell energy on a free market basis.
There will also be simplifications of the rules for the connection of micro-installations and small RES installations to the power grid on the basis of a notification or new conditions for connection to the network, along with a shorter issuance period. The elimination of the basic administrative and legal barriers and the shortening of the investment and construction process for the assembly of photovoltaic devices is envisaged.
White certificates could also be issued for investments involving the reduction of energy consumption by equipping enterprises with their own renewable source.
It is also planned to eliminate negative for prosumers interpretations used by the DSO in the field of accounting for three-phase systems by indicating the target vector model.
An important incentive for companies is to be accelerated depreciation, its time is planned to be shortened by about half. Exemption from the excise tax on energy sold and unification of the VAT rate to 8% for solar panels. Now higher VAT is paid for installations other than on house roofs. A property tax relief is also being considered. The taxable amount would be deducted from the value of the installation.