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| (Courtesy CIA.gov) |
Poland, under pressure from the EU to reduce its use of highly polluting coal, will develop geothermal energy resources rather than wind farms which spoil the landscape, its environment minister said on Wednesday.
Most of the electricity used in Poland is generated in coal-fueled power stations, but under European Union rules the country is required to produce 15 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, up from around 12 percent currently.
In attempts to comply with these regulations, previous Polish governments have developed biomass energy sources and subsidized the construction of wind farms, but Environment Minister Jan Szyszko said the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), elected in October, was opposed to wind farms.
"Geothermal energy will definitely be the priority of this government. In this we see a chance to meet the air quality norms in big urban conurbations," Szyszko told a news conference on Wednesday.
