Development of environmental policy instruments for renewable energy sources by municipalities

Abstract

An increase in the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption is one of the priorities of the European Union. Poland should have achieved the level of 21% renewable energy by 2030. Research problems discussed in the article: lack of studies in communes regarding the comprehensive assessment of unused reserves of energy from renewable energy; lack of analyses regarding the costs of obtaining and using power from renewable sources, lack of clear vision of communes as subjects in the climate and energy-related policy. Considering these research problems, this paper analyses the instruments of support for energy generation from renewable sources applied by communes. The study covers one hundred communes in the voivodship of Warmia and Mazury. The following hypothesis can be put forward in the methodological context: renewable energy use in a commune depends mainly on the undertaken activities and local initiatives.