Poland plans to speed up move to clean and nuclear energy

(AP) WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s government has adopted a plan to speed up the coal-reliant nation’s transformation to clean and nuclear energy.

The Cabinet passed a resolution Tuesday that calls for Poland to obtain 23% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, compared to some 13% now.

The plan foresees an increase in wind energy, especially from farms on the Baltic Sea, and the opening of Poland’s first nuclear power plant in 2033. No location or technology has been chosen yet for the plant, and the project’s Polish investor is experiencing significant delays.

The move toward a zero-emissions energy policy is expected to produce some 300,000 jobs, according to the resolution released by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s office.

Poland’s economy shrank last year by some 2.8%, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the first negative gross domestic product growth in 30 years.