Departaments and Divisions

The scientific and research activity of our team focuses on various issues related to energy policy. Issues of sustainable development and the rational use of raw materials and fuels are also taken into account. We focus on the analyses and assessments of technical and economic problems related to the development of fuel and energy markets in Poland and worldwide, including unconventional energy sources and the availability of primary fuels. We also study problems related to forecasting the development of the mining and energy sector in the context of changing international and national regulations. Our studies are focused on the economic, legal, environmental and social aspects of the exploitation of mineral deposits, greenhouse gas emissions and issues related to technologies used in the mining and energy sectors.

In recent years, our division has carried out many projects for external clients. The projects carried out for foreign clients, including those on the present state and future prospects for hard coal in Poland (for NICE, China) and the current state and future prospects of coal mining industry in Upper Silesia in Poland (for RWE—Essen, Germany) are especially worth noting. We have also carried out a number of research works for domestic clients, the most important of which are:

• Investigation of the permissible ash content in medium size bituminous coal (PGG),
• Assessment of the potential organizational and technical capability for the commercial introduction of hydrogen (H2) into the gas distribution network and that of offering new services using Power to Gas (P2G) technology. This project included both formal and legal analysis, taking into account national and EU regulatory aspects and the recommendation of necessary legislative changes. It also confronted potential technical issues (PSG),
• Forecasts of demand for coal in the domestic market by 2030, with particular emphasis on coal supplies for electricity and heat generation and other customers (ARP),
• Analysis of the Polish and European unconventional gas market, including the assessment of business opportunities (risk analysis) and collection of data on the impact of new, innovative technologies on the development of research supporting processes related to exploration and extraction of shale gas (AGH − under the Blue Gas project),
• Forecast of the demand for bituminous coal and lignite for energy generation in Poland by 2050 (Polish Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce),
• Electricity generation costs (Lotos Group),
• Lignite mining as an overriding public interest (the Adamów lignite mine),
• Conditions for the development of new lignite mines in Poland (Kopex SA).

Within the framework of the Dratewka programme carried out in the division, a pilot programme for reducing low-stack emissions based on the use of local biomass resources, the division conducts research on low-power boilers and their fuels. The division designs and implements training courses for enterprises and government and self-government administration units in the field of technological, legal and economic aspects of the use of renewable energy and conducts ecological education courses (science picnics) for young people.

Thanks to constantly developing competences, we offer the implementation of projects covering local, regional and national issues concerning:

• Energy policy,
• Fuel and energy balances,
• Sustainable economic development,
• The use of unconventional energy sources,
• The development of the fuel and energy market,
• The rational use of raw materials and fuels,
• Mineral, fuel and energy costs,
• New technologies in the power sector, including energy storage,
• The issue of distributed generation,
• Economic, technical, legal and social aspects of greenhouse gas emissions,
• Economic, environmental, legal and social aspects of the exploitation of mineral deposits
• Energy efficiency,
• Low-stack emissions reduction,
• Environmental education courses for youths and adults.