Poland energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Poland produced 173 TWh of electricity in 2025. Coal dominates the mix with 50.4%, followed by natural gas at 14.3% and wind power at 14.2%.
Electricity generation by source in 2025
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coal | 87.32 | 50.4% | −29 |
| Gas | 24.82 | 14.3% | +10.4 |
| Wind | 24.62 | 14.2% | +7.6 |
| Solar | 19.55 | 11.3% | +11.3 |
| Bioenergy | 8.48 | 4.9% | −1.2 |
| Oil | 6.53 | 3.8% | +0.9 |
| Hydro | 1.7 | 1% | −0.1 |
| Other renewables | 0.24 | 0.1% | +0.1 |
| Total | 173 | 100% |
Poland: electricity in context
Power plants in Poland produced 173 TWh of electricity in 2025. That is about 0.5% of the world total, in the same league as Sweden. Coal dominates the mix with 50.4%, followed by natural gas at 14.3% and wind power at 14.2%.
31.5% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 87th of 158 countries. That is 2 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Europe (41.6%). The EU-27 average is higher, at 47.7%. Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 589 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Poland is 122nd of 158.
Since 2015, the fastest-growing source has been solar power: its output rose by 19.5 TWh, lifting its share by 11.3 percentage points. Meanwhile coal lost the most ground, down 43.2 TWh. The net effect: renewables gained 17.7 percentage points of share since 2015. Total generation grew by 9 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 826 to 589 g/kWh, a 29% cut.
The coal phase-down is well under way: 79.4% of generation in 2015, 50.4% by 2025. In absolute terms, coal generation peaked in 2006 at 147 TWh and has since fallen 41%.
Solar (11.3%) and wind (14.2%) now add up to 25.5% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 513 kWh of solar electricity a year, 1.5× the global average. In solar electricity per person, Poland ranks 32nd in the world. Wind adds 646 kWh per person, the 26th-highest figure of 156 countries. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2020.
Generation per person is 4,543 kWh a year, 1.2× the world average of 3,860 kWh. Imports and exports roughly cancel out.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 1985. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Poland against the world, Europe and EU-27 averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 13% of primary energy and fossil fuels 87% (2024). Per person, that is 29,206 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Substitution method: non-fossil electricity is converted to the primary energy a fossil plant would have needed.
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Poland
The 189 power plants recorded in Poland add up to 37.9 GW of capacity, 82% of it Coal. The largest is Bełchatów at 5,472 MW. The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bełchatów | Coal | 5,472 | — | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| 2 | Kozienice | Coal | 2,673 | — | Enea Wytwarzanie |
| 3 | Rybnik | Coal | 1,775 | — | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| 4 | Połaniec | Coal | 1,623 | — | Enea Połaniec S.A. |
| 5 | Turów | Coal | 1,498 | — | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| 6 | Opole | Coal | 1,492 | — | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| 7 | Dolna Odra | Coal | 1,362 | — | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| 8 | Jaworzno III | Coal | 1,345 | — | TAURON Wytwarzanie S.A. |
| 9 | Pątnów I | Coal | 1,244 | 1967 | Zespół Elektrowni 'Pątnów - Adamów - Konin' SA |
| 10 | Łaziska | Coal | 1,155 | — | TAURON Wytwarzanie S.A. |
| 11 | Kozienice | Coal | 1,075 | 2017 | Elektrownia Wytwarzanie S.A. |
| 12 | Kozienice II | Coal | 1,075 | 2017 | Enea Wytwarzanie |
| 13 | Żarnowiec | Hydro | 716 | 1983 | PGE |
| 14 | Łagisza | Coal | 700 | — | TAURON Wytwarzanie S.A. |
| 15 | Ostrołęka B | Coal | 681 | 1972 | ENERGA |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 189 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Poland
5,066 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 8.9 GW of solar and 8.9 GW of wind operating, plus 23 GW under construction or planned.
How does Poland compare?
Poland next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 31.5% | 31.5% | 68.5% | 589 | 4,543 | 173 | — | |
| Slovakia | 18.7% | 85.2% | 14.8% | 95 | 5,315 | 29.1 | Compare | |
| Czechia | 16.8% | 59.2% | 40.8% | 401 | 7,116 | 75.5 | Compare | |
| Belarus | 4.8% | 41.4% | 58.6% | 309 | 5,154 | 46.4 | Compare | |
| Germany | 59.1% | 59.1% | 40.9% | 330 | 5,953 | 500 | Compare | |
| Ukraine | 16.4% | 72.2% | 27.8% | 250 | 2,717 | 112 | Compare | |
| Russia | 17.4% | 35.7% | 64.3% | 450 | 8,283 | 1,193 | Compare | |
| Europe average | 41.6% | 62% | 38% | 271 | 6,203 | 4,626 | Compare | |
| European Union (EU-27) average | 47.7% | 71.1% | 28.9% | 210 | 6,230 | 2,797 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Poland
Poland energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Poland is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Poland?
How clean is the electricity in Poland?
Does Poland have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Poland use per person?
How much solar power does Poland produce?
Does Poland import electricity?
More countries in Europe
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2025. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.