A revolution for solar panel owners. The decision will affect their wallets
New regulations introduce changes for owners of solar panels. More favorable energy settlement rules, faster procedures and higher returns.
Senators approved amendments to the amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act, which will introduce significant changes for owners of photovoltaic panels and other renewable energy installations. The new regulations are intended to accelerate the energy transformation, shorten the time of investment procedures and adapt Polish law to EU regulations.
Changes in the energy settlement system
The changes concern, among others: prosumers using the net-billing settlement system. Solar panel owners will be able to choose whether they want to bill based on the monthly electricity price or stick to an hourly rate. The new regulations are also intended to increase benefits for prosumers, offering a higher return on unused funds – from 20% to 30%.
Currently, prosumers settle surplus energy produced through the net-billing system, which replaced the earlier net-metering model. The new regulations are intended to make the hourly billing system more attractive and, additionally, enable a return to the monthly billing model. For many users, this means greater flexibility and potential savings.
The amendment also provides for an update of the prosumer deposit, increasing the return coefficient from 1 to 1.23. This is another step towards encouraging owners of renewable energy installations to make further investments.
Shortening investment procedures
The new regulations will significantly shorten the time of administrative procedures related to the construction of renewable energy installations. For photovoltaic panels and energy storage units installed on buildings or in the same area, this time is to be shortened from 356-416 days to 149 days. This is intended to accelerate the development of renewable energy sources and enable faster use of new technologies.
The amendment also takes into account the European Union guidelines on state aid for climate protection. The number of sectors eligible for relief will increase to 116, and the value of support for energy-intensive enterprises in 2025 is estimated at PLN 0.5 billion. Two levels of relief have been introduced – 85% and 75% – depending on the risk of carbon leakage.
Producers in installations with a capacity of up to 400 kW will be able to benefit from feed-in tariffs until the end of 2025, and from 2026, the regulations will cover installations with a capacity of up to 200 kW. The entry into force of the virtual prosumer institution has also been postponed until July 2, 2025.
