The 21st edition of the conference “Cross-Border Energy – The World of Tomorrow’s Energy” has concluded. The event took place on 20 November this year and, as in previous years, brought together a large group of experts, representatives of local governments, and online participants who followed the meeting via live stream from the Column Hall of the Marshal’s Office.
The conference provided a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience in the areas of energy security, directions of energy transformation, and innovative technologies supporting climate neutrality. The meeting was opened by Prof. Wojciech Myślecki. The Polish electronics engineer and scientist, quoting Kevin Kelly, emphasised the dynamic nature of today’s digital reality, in which technological processes shape long-term development trends for decades to come. During the event, detailed data on electricity production and consumption in Poland, compared with previous years, were also presented. The energy balance was delivered by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Herbert L. Gabryś.
The University of Zielona Góra was a co-organiser of the event, and therefore representatives of the University were also present. UZ was represented, among others, by Prof. Dr hab. Eng. Robert Smoleński. The Director of the Institute of Automation, Electronics and Electrical Engineering, in his “Critical Analysis of the Possibilities of Electrical Energy Storage,” compared the parameters of the world’s largest energy storage facility (800 MW, 3,287 MWh) with the capacity of the Bełchatów Power Plant. The results showed that current storage solutions still do not match traditional coal-based sources, tempering excessive enthusiasm for this technology.
Meanwhile, Prof. Stanisław Tokarski drew attention to key questions concerning the future of the Polish energy sector: synchronising the development of renewable energy sources with system flexibility and energy storage, the prospects for constructing the first nuclear power plant, the role of gas as a transitional fuel, and the duration for which system security can be maintained based on coal. He emphasised that 200 MW coal-fired units may continue to serve as balancing sources, constituting an important element of stability for the National Power System.
Considerable interest was also generated by a debate moderated by Paweł Lichtański, Mayor of Iłowa, devoted to the need for new competencies in managing local government units in the context of energy transformation. The discussion highlighted the importance of preparing professional staff to meet the challenges associated with implementing innovative solutions.
The final session of the conference focused on innovations and projects supporting the energy transition:
In conclusion, the 21st edition of the “Cross-Border Energy – The World of Tomorrow’s Energy” conference once again demonstrated that the energy transition requires not only innovative technologies but also broad cooperation among experts, local authorities, and enterprises. The discussions and presentations highlighted both the enormous development potential and the challenges facing the region and the entire Polish energy sector.
