Amendments to the Renewable Energy Sources Act Adopted at Second Rading

Encouraging the use of energy from renewable sources is the main objective of amendments to the Renewable Energy Sources Act, adopted by the National Assembly at second reading. The new provisions transpose the requirements of Directive (EU) 2023/2413 on the promotion of energy from renewable sources, the Parliament's press office said.

By adapting the legal framework, the amendments establish the conditions for achieving the EU's climate neutrality target by 2050, as well as the interim target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels.

The legislation also provides for specific measures to achieve these objectives, including the introduction of technical rules and standards for the design and construction of buildings, as well as measures to support businesses.

The new provisions also include measures to promote the production of heat from renewable sources, as well as a mechanism for issuing and trading credits for electricity from renewable sources used in transport.

The bill does not amend the environmental requirements or procedures laid down in the Environmental Protection Act and the Biological Diversity Act. When designating priority areas for wind power generation, protected areas and sites within the National Ecological Network are excluded, as are established bird migration routes, forests, permanently grass-covered areas and other designated territories.

The existing rules governing the construction, reconstruction and commissioning of energy facilities for renewable energy production remain unchanged. The legislation also leaves intact the restrictions on changing the designated use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes, as well as the rules governing its land categorisation.