Βαρσοβία, 15 Μαρτίου 2010 Α.Π.Φ. 1750/ΑΣ 91. ΘΕΜΑ : «Ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας στην Πολωνία».

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1 ΠΡΕΣΒΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΒΑΡΣΟΒΙΑ ΓΡΑΦΕΙΟ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΥΠΟΘΕΣΕΩΝ Gornoslaska Warsaw, Poland tel , , fax , Web Site: ΑΔΙΑΒΑΘΜΗΤΟ ΚΑΝΟΝΙΚΟ Βαρσοβία, 15 Μαρτίου 2010 Α.Π.Φ. 1750/ΑΣ 91 ΘΕΜΑ : «Ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας στην Πολωνία». Σε απάντηση της από 19 Φεβρουαρίου τ.ε. επιστολής σας σχετικά με τα ερωτήματά σας για την ηλιακή ενέργεια στην Πολωνία και μετά από έρευνα την οποία πραγματοποίησε το Γραφείο μας αποστέλλουμε πληροφορίες τις οποίες ζητήσατε ως ακολούθως: 1. Παραθέτουμε τα πλήρη στοιχεία φορέων και αρχών στην Πολωνία οι οποίες είναι αρμόδιες και έχουν την αποκλειστική ευθύνη για ενεργειακά ζητήματα και ιδιαίτερα για ζητήματα ηλιακής, αιολικής και άλλων μορφών ενέργειας καθώς και ζητήματα που σχετίζονται με τις ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας: ENERGY REGULATORY OFFICE ΡΥΘΜΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΑΡΧΗ ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑΣ ΠΟΛΩΝΙΑΣ Διεύθυνση: 64, Chlodna Street WARSAW POLAND ure@ure.gov.pl Web Site : DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENTERPRISES Attn: Mr Pawel Plachecki Mrs Malgorzata Stachowiak (ομιλεί την αγγλική γλώσσα) Τel: Mrs Monika Guzenda Tel: dpe@ure.gov.pl Link to information about RES Information package and documentation (ιστοσελίδα στο διαδίκτυο όπου υπάρχουν σχετικές πληροφορίες για ενεργειακά ζητήματα) 2. Οσον αφορά τα ερωτήματά σας σχετικά με ζητήματα τιμών και τιμολογιακής πολιτικής στην Πολωνία για θέματα ηλιακής και αιολικής ενέργειας καθώς και για άλλες μορφές ανανεώσιμων πηγών ενέργειας, σας γνωρίζουμε τα εξής: (α) η μέση τιμή ενέργειας στην πολωνική αγορά η οποία προέρχεται από τον λιθάνθρακα, μέχρι τα τέλη Μαρτίου τ.ε. ανέρχεται σε 155,44

2 ζλότυ Πολωνίας (περίπου 40,00 Ευρώ) και καταβάλλεται από τον διανομέα. (β) η μέση τιμή των πράσινων πιστοποιητικών προέλευσης (green certificates of origin) ανέρχεται σε περίπου 270 ζλότυ (περίπου 69,5 Ευρώ). Τα πιστοποιητικά εκδίδονται από τον Πρόεδρο της Ρυθμιστικής Αρχής Ενέργειας και πωλούνται στο Χρηματιστήριο Ενέργειας. Η τιμή τους είναι αποτέλεσμα τελικής συμφωνίας με τον αγοραστή. (γ) η μόνη επιπλέον κρατική διευκόλυνση προς εταιρείες του τομέα των ανανεώσιμων πηγών ενέργειας αφορά «το κόστος σύνδεσης», η οποία ανέρχεται σε ποσοστό 50% της κανονικής τιμής. 3. Αναλυτικές πληροφορίες και χρήσιμα στοιχεία για εταιρείες που επιθυμούν να επενδύσουν στον τομέα των ανανεώσιμων πηγών ενέργειας παρέχονται από την Πολωνική Ρυθμιστική Αρχή Ενέργειας (Energy Regulatory Office). Οι πληροφορίες περιέχονται στο «Information Package (RES)» το οποίο σας αποστέλλουμε συνημμένως σε ηλεκτρονική μορφή, σε μορφή αρχείου.pdf. 4. Τέλος και για δική σας ενημέρωση αποστέλλουμε, επίσης σε ηλεκτρονική μορφή, αντίγραφο σημειώματος του Γραφείου μας σχετικά με τις εξελίξεις του τομέα της αιολικής ενέργειας στην Πολωνία. Τα στοιχεία που περιέχονται στο συνημμένο σημείωμα προέρχονται από έρευνα που πραγματοποίησε ο Πολωνικός Οργανισμός για Προσέλκυση Αλλοδαπών Επενδύσεων (PAIiIZ) και η οποία παρουσιάσθηκε σε ειδική συνεδρίαση του Οργανισμού. Παραμένουμε στην διάθεσή σας για οποιαδήποτε επιπλέον πληροφορία ή διευκρίνιση χρειασθείτε. Ο Προϊστάμενος Θεόδωρος Ξυπολιάς

3 ΠΡΕΣΒΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΒΑΡΣΟΒΙΑ ΓΡΑΦΕΙΟ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΥΠΟΘΕΣΕΩΝ Gornoslaska Warsaw, Poland tel , , fax , Web Site: ecocom-warsaw@mfa.gr ΘΕΜΑ : «Ο τομέας της αιολικής ενέργειας στην Πολωνία». Βαρσοβία, 15 Μαρτίου 2010 Παρουσιάστηκε πρόσφατα στην Βαρσοβία, στην έδρα του Πολωνικού Οργανισμού Προσέλκυσης Επενδύσεων (PAIiZ), έρευνα με θέμα τον τομέα της αιολικής ενέργειας στην Πολωνία. Καθώς περιορίζονται τα αποθέματα πετρελαίου παγκόσμια, αυξάνονται οι τιμές τους και παράλληλα δίδεται ιδιαίτερη σημασία σε θέματα προστασίας του περιβάλλοντος, αυξάνεται η παγκόσμια ζήτηση για παραγωγή ενέργειας από ανανεώσιμες πηγές. Ιδιαίτερα και όσον αφορά στην παραγωγή αιολικής ενέργειας, αυτή αυξάνεται με ραγδαίους ρυθμούς καθώς κατά το 2008 η συνολική παραγωγική δυναμικότητά παγκόσμια έφθασε στα περίπου 121 GW, έναντι παραγωγικής δυναμικότητας μόλις 6 GW κατά το Παράλληλα και κατά το 2009 υπολογίζεται ότι το μεγαλύτερο ποσοστό από την συνολική αύξηση των εναλλακτικών πηγών ενέργειας παγκόσμια, θα αφορά στον τομέα της αιολικής ενέργειας και στην συνέχεια αυτόν του φυσικού αερίου και της ηλιακής ενέργειας. Σύμφωνα με τα στατιστικά στοιχεία που αφορούν στο 2008, η συνολική παραγωγική δυναμικότητα στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, στον τομέα της αιολικής ενέργειας έφθασε στα 65 GW (που αντιστοιχεί στο 54% της παγκόσμιας). Μεγαλύτερη παραγωγός στον ευρωπαϊκό χώρο παραμένει η Γερμανία με συνολική παραγωγική δυναμικότητα στα 23,9 GW (που αντιστοιχεί στο 37% ευρωπαϊκής παραγωγής και στο 20% της παγκόσμιας) ενώ στην συνέχεια ακολουθούν οι : Ισπανία με 16,7 GW, η Ιταλία με 3,7 GW, η Γαλλία με 3,4 GW, η Μ.Βρετανία με 3,3 GW, η Δανία και η Σουηδία από 3,2 GW ενώ στην 8 η θέση της ευρωπαϊκής παραγωγής βρίσκονται η Ιρλανδία και η Ελλάδα με παραγωγή περίπου στο 1 GW. Αξιοσημείωτος είναι επίσης και ο αριθμός απασχολουμένων στην ΕΕ στον τομέα της αιολικής ενέργειας, αριθμός ο οποίος έφθασε-σύμφωνα με στοιχεία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης Αιολικής Ενέργειας (EWEA)- στους εργαζομένους ενώ μέχρι το 2020 υπολογίζεται να αυξηθεί στους εργαζομένους. Όσον αφορά στην Πολωνία (σημειώνουμε ότι η χώρα βασίζεται στον λιθάνθρακα για την παραγωγή περίπου του 95% των ενεργειακών της αναγκών, ενώ λόγω αυτού του γεγονότος και με απόφαση της ΕΕ τον Δεκέμβριο του 2008, έχει πάρει παράταση έως το 2020 για να επιτύχει τον στόχο μείωσης εκπομπών του διοξειδίου) μέχρι και το 2000 η παραγωγή αιολικής ενέργειας βρισκόταν ουσιαστικά σε μηδενικά επίπεδα. Από το 2006 όμως και εντεύθεν η παραγωγή αιολικής ενέργειας από τα 153 MW που βρισκόταν, ξεκινά να αυξάνεται αλματωδώς και υπολογίζεται ότι μέχρι το τέλος του τ.ε. θα έχει ανέλθει στα 668 MW. Παράλληλα η γεωγραφική κατανομή των σταθμών παραγωγής δείχνει ότι το σύνολο σχεδόν της παραγόμενης ενέργειας συγκεντρώνεται σε 2 από τις 16 περιφέρειες της χώρας, οι οποίες και βρίσκονται στο βόρειο τμήμα της και συγκεκριμένα στην περιοχή της Βαλτικής θάλασσας, στις περιφέρειες Zachodniopomorskie και Podlaskie. Όσον αφορά στο πλαίσιο ρύθμισης και λειτουργίας του τομέα, σημειώνουμε ότι ο παραγωγός ενέργειας από ανανεώσιμες πηγές μπορεί να προχωρήσει σε πώληση της

4 παραγόμενης από αυτόν ενέργειας στην βάση των συμφωνιών με εταιρείες ενέργειας, άλλους αγοραστές ή μέσω και του πολωνικού Χρηματιστηρίου Ενέργειας. Παράλληλα ο παραγωγός, λαμβάνει τα green certificates ή certificates of origin πιστοποιητικά που δηλώνουν ότι η παραγόμενη ενέργεια προέρχεται από ανανεώσιμες πηγές και τα οποία εκδίδονται από τον Πρόεδρο της Ρυθμιστικής Αρχής Ενέργειας/Energy Regulatory Office μετά από αίτημα του. Τα ανωτέρω πιστοποιητικά ενέχουν την μορφή χρεογράφων καθώς μπορούν να ανταλλάσσονται στο πολωνικό Χρηματιστήριο Ενέργειας, ενώ ο παραγωγός σε ετήσια βάση είναι υποχρεωμένος να παραδίδει στην Ρυθμιστική Αρχή συγκεκριμένο αριθμό πιστοποιητικών για να εξαγοραστούν άλλως σε διαφορετική περίπτωση επιβάλλεται σχετικό πρόστιμο. Το ευνοϊκό πλαίσιο λειτουργίας του τομέα και τα κίνητρα που προσφέρονται από το πολωνική κυβέρνηση, οδηγούν τελικά σε δύο πηγές εισοδήματος για τους παραγωγούς η πρώτη εκ των οποίων είναι η τιμή πώλησης (τιμή που στην Πολωνία είναι υψηλότερη από τον μέσο ευρωπαϊκό όρο σημειώνεται ότι η ελάχιστη εγγυημένη τιμή από την αρμόδια Αρχή Ενέργειας/ Energy Regulatory Office, έφθασε κατά το 2009 τα 155,4 ζλότυ/mwh, περίπου 39 Ευρώ/mwh) και η δεύτερη είναι η τιμή των πράσινων πιστοποιητικών προέλευσης/green certificates of origin (που στην Πολωνία η μέση τους τιμή κατά το 2008 έφθασε στα 241 ζλότυ/mwh, περίπου 60 Ευρώ/mwh). Τα ανωτέρω κίνητρα, προσέλκυσαν ικανό αριθμό αλλοδαπών επενδυτών στον τομέα με τους κυριότερους εξ αυτών να είναι : η ισπανική εταιρεία Iberdrola (διαθέτει 3 σταθμούς παραγωγής συνολικής δυναμικότητας 128 MW, ενώ βρίσκεται στο στάδιο της κατασκευής και τέταρτος σταθμός), η πορτογαλική EDP Renewables Group η οποία κατασκευάζει τον μέχρι στιγμής μεγαλύτερο σταθμό παραγωγής στην Πολωνία συνολικής παραγωγικής δυναμικότητας 120 MW, η ελβετική Swiss GEI Fund η οποία έχει ανακοινώσει την κατασκευή στα αμέσως προσεχή έτη, σταθμών παραγωγής συνολικής δυναμικότητας 600 MW και τέλος η γερμανική RWE Group η οποία και έχει ανακοινώσει την πρόθεση κατασκευής σταθμού συνολικής παραγωγικής δυναμικότητας 300 MW. Σημειώνουμε επίσης ότι ο μεγαλύτερος κατασκευαστής παγκόσμια, πτερυγίων/εξαρτημάτων ανεμογεννητριών δανικών συμφερόντων όμιλος LM Glasfiber από τις αρχές του 2009 έχει ξεκινήσει την λειτουργία εργοστασίου παραγωγής και στην Πολωνία. Ο Προϊστάμενος κ.α.α. Παντελής Γιαννούλης Γραμματέας Α ΟΕΥ

5 Draft no. 2006/ : Preparation and distribution of regulation tools and procedures used in the renewable energy sources and cogeneration electric power sector cofinancing from Polish and European Union founds, as part of the Transition Facility 2006/ project. ENERGY REGULATORY OFFICE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENTERPRISES INFORMATION PACKAGE (RES) FOR COMPANIES INTENDING TO CONDUCT BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN THE FORM OF GENERATING ELECTRIC POWER IN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (RES) WARSAW, February 2010

6 TABLE OF CONTENTS: Licensed business activity in the area of generating energy... 3 Promise to license...4 Necessary conditions which should be met by a future License Holder... 5 Circumstances preventing securing the license... 5 Preparing the application... 5 Addressee of the application to grant a license (promise to license)... 7 Duration of the procedure...8 Fees associated with securing the license (promise to license)... 9 The list of documents, which should be attached to the application to grant the license for generating electric power in renewable energy sources Change of conditions of the granted license (promise to license)...14 Circumstances causing revocation and expiration of the license...15 Possibility of reapplying for the license...16 Audit of the business activity in the scope of the granted license...16 Obligations resulting from the fact of holding a license...17 Execution of business activity without a license...18 List of legal acts...19 EXHIBITS (available on ERO s website at 1. Application for a license (a promise to license) and the required declarations 2. Requirements for the metering accounting systems and preparing the equipment installation description and chart 3. Assumptions for preparing the credential documentation for biomass or biogas co burning technology installations. Assumptions for preparing the credential documentation 4. Selected examples of simplified block charts of various solutions for generating electric power in renewable energy sources page 2 of 20

7 HOW TO SECURE A LICENSE FOR GENERATING ELECTRIC POWER IN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES? Licensed business activity in the area of generating energy (Who should hold the license?) Pursuant to art. 32 sec. 1 item 1 of the Energy Law Act of 10 April 1997 (Journal of Laws of 2006 No. 89, item 625, No. 104, item 708, No. 158, item 1123 and No. 170, item 1217; of 2007 No. 21, item 124, No. 52, item 343, No. 115, item 790 and No. 130, item 905; of 2008 No. 180, item 1112 and No. 227, item 1505; and of 2009 No. 3, item 11) 1, hereinafter referred to as the Energy Law Act [1], business activity in the following areas requires securing a license: production of fuels or generation of energy, excluding: production of solid fuels or gaseous fuels, generation of electric power in sources with total installed electric power not exceeding 50 MW that are not renewable energy sources or sources that generate electric power in cogeneration, generation of heat in sources with total installed heat power not exceeding 5 MW. Therefore, according to the foregoing provision, each business activity in the area of generating electric power in renewable energy sources (frequently referred to as RES) is subject to licensing, regardless of the power output of the installed source or the amount of energy generated in the installed source. Thus all energy companies that generate energy in renewable energy sources are obligated to secure a license for generating electric power. Sources that are not licensed cannot apply for issue of certificates of origin, they do not have the right to demand 2 ex officio that the seller purchase the generated electric power 3 and they do not have the priority right to transmission or distribution of the generated electric power by the electric power grid operator to whose grid they are directly connected. It should be emphasized that regarding the activities of energy companies which generate energy in renewable sources, the provisions of the Regulation issued by the Minister of Economy on 14 August 2008 detailing the scope of the obligations to secure and submit certificates of origin for standardized text is available on ERO s website at Art. 9a. 6. The seller is obligated, ex officio, to the extent provided in the provisions issued pursuant to sec. 9, to purchase the electric power generated in renewable energy sources connected to the grid located in the seller s area of activity ex officio, offered by energy companies licensed to generate it; such purchase is executed at the average sale price of electric power in the previous calendar year, referred to in art. 23 sec. 2 item 18b. see also art. 11 of the Act of 4 March 2005 to amend the Energy Law Act and the Environmental Protection Law Act (Journal of Laws of 2005, no. 62, item 552) page 3 of 20

8 redemption, payment of a replacement fee and purchase of electric power and heat generated in renewable sources of energy and the obligation to confirm the data concerning the amount of electric power generated in renewable sources of energy (Journal of Laws of 2008, No. 156 item 969) [1], hereinafter referred to as the RES Regulation, should be also taken into consideration. Provisions of the Energy Law Act and the Freedom of Business Activity Act of 2 July 2004 (Journal of Laws of 2004, No. 173, item 1807, as amended) [2] (according to the reference to art. 50 of the Energy Law Act) and the Administrative Proceedings Code Act (Journal of Laws of 2000, No. 98, item 1071, as amended) [2] (according to the reference to art. 30 sec. 1 of the Energy Law Act), respectively, apply to the licensing procedure (the promise to license). Promise to license Pursuant to art. 43 sec. 1 of the Energy Law Act, each person who intends to conduct activity involving: generating, processing, storing, transmitting, distributing and trading fuels and energy, which is subject to licensing, may apply for issue of a promise to license which is a form of a promise to grant a license. During the validity term of the promise, the license for the activity specified in the promise cannot be denied unless the factual or legal status specified in the application to issue the promise changes (art. 43 sec. 4 of the Energy Law Act). A promise to license shall specify its term of validity, however it cannot be shorter than six months (pursuant to art. 43 sec. 3). The Energy Law Act does not specify the maximum limit of the validity term of the promise to license. The promise to license does not give the right to conduct activity which requires the license, hence one cannot apply for certificates of origin or effectively demand the purchase and priority in transmission or distribution of electric power. Therefore, the term of a promise to license, for which one applies, should be aligned with the investment process. The promise may be the document which makes it easier for the company to acquire financing for the planned investment and also to secure the license in the future because the entrepreneur must gather the specified documents when applying for the promise to license. More details on this may be found below. page 4 of 20

9 Necessary conditions which should be met by a future License Holder Entrepreneurs applying for a license must meet the premises for securing it specified in art. 33 sec. 1 of the Energy Law Act. Pursuant to this provision, the President of the ERO grants a license to an applicant who: 1) has its registered offices or place of residence in the territory of an European Union member state, Swiss Confederation or a member state of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) a party to the European Economic Area agreement; 2) has sufficient financial means to ensure the correct performance of its activity or is capable of documenting the ability to acquire the same; 3) has the technical capabilities ensuring the correct performance of its activity; 4) will guarantee that it will employ staff with the adequate professional qualifications referred to in art. 54 of the Energy Law Act; 5) has obtained a conditions decision on the site development and construction. Circumstances preventing securing the license Pursuant to art. 33 sec. 3 of the Energy Law Act, the license cannot be issued to the applicant: 1) which is in the course of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings; 2) whose license for the activity specified in the Act was revoked within the last three years for the reasons specified in art. 58 sec. 2 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act of 2 July 2004 (Journal of Laws of 2004, No. 173, item 1807, as amended) [2], hereinafter referred to as the Freedom of Business Activity Act or within the last three years was deleted from the regulated activity register for the reasons referred to in art. 71 sec. 1 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act; 3) convicted with a legally binding court verdict for a crime associated with the subject matter of the business activity specified in the Energy Law Act. Preparing the application When preparing the application to grant a license (a promise to license), the applicant should be aware of the fact that the more completely the application is prepared (it contains all the necessary exhibits), the smoother the licensing process (the promise to license) will run. The scope of the presented documentation should make it possible to determine that the Applicant page 5 of 20

10 fulfills all of the conditions required for securing the license and that there are no circumstances pertaining to the Applicant which justify refusal of granting the license. THE APPLICATION TO GRANT A LICENSE (or a promise to license, respectively see art. 43 sec. 5 of the Energy Law Act) should contain in particular the following (description pursuant to art. 35 sec. 1 of the Energy Law Act): 1) designation of the applicant and the registered offices or place of residence, and if proxies are appointed to perform the legal duties on the applicant s behalf, it should also include their first and last names and mailing addresses; 2) specification of the subject matter and scope of the conducted activity for which the license is to be issued; 3) information about the applicant s previous activity, including their financial statements for the last three years if the entity is conducting business activity; 4) specification of the term for which the license is to be granted and specification of the start date of the activity; 5) specification of the resources available to the entity applying for the license, for the purpose of correct performance of the activity covered by the application; 6) number in the register of entrepreneurs or business activity records and the taxpayer identification number (NIP). The license is granted for a definite term not shorter than 10 years and not longer than 50 years unless the entrepreneur requests a license for a shorter term (art. 36 of the Energy Law Act). An applicant failing to meet the conditions prescribed by the law, faces the possibility of the license (promise to license) being denied pursuant to art. 35 sec. 3 of the Energy Law Act. If the application to grant the license (the promise to license) does not contain all the necessary documents, the Entrepreneur, pursuant to art. 50 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act, will be summoned to deliver the missing documents by the set deadline. Failure to provide missing documentation specified in the summons despite being summoned by the regulatory authority to provide them, is foundation for refusing to examine the application, pursuant to art. 50 sec. 1 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act. This results in the procedure being closed and requires the application be resubmitted with all the required documents, while the documents previously page 6 of 20

11 submitted to the Regulatory Office may be used in that new procedure provided that they are still valid. It should also be emphasized that the summons to complete the application may also be executed pursuant to art. 64 of the Administrative Proceedings Code Act (Journal of Laws of 2000, No. 98 item 1071, as amended) [2], hereinafter referred to as the Administrative Proceedings Code or the Code. Pursuant to that provision ( 1) if the applicant s address is not specified on the application and it is not possible to determine that address on the basis of available data, the application will not be examined. In addition, ( 2) if the application does not meet other requirements prescribed by the law, the applicant should be summoned to provide the missing information within seven days with the instruction that failure to provide the missing information will result in non examination of the application. The list of documents that should be attached to the application to grant the license for generating electric power in renewable energy sources may be found in the later part of the Materials. A sample application for a license (promise to license) forms an exhibit 1.1 to this information. Addressee of the application to grant a license (promise to license) The entrepreneur s written application to grant a license (promise to license) should be sent to the President of the Energy Regulatory Office, to the following address: ul. Chłodna 64, Warsaw, except for an application concerning a power station which uses the technology of biomass or biogas co burning with other fuels which should be sent to the Field Branch of the Energy Regulatory Office with jurisdiction over the area. Additional information in this case may be obtained in ERO s Department of Energy Enterprises, rooms 311, 316, 317, 318, phone nos. (0 22) ; ; , , e mail: dpe@ure.gov.pl with the note: DPE 3. page 7 of 20

12 Duration of the procedure The duration of the licensing procedure mostly depends on completeness of the submitted application, possibly the party s activity in supplementing the necessary documents and the necessity to obtain in each case the opinion of the voivodship board with jurisdiction over the area. For pursuant to art. 23 sec. 3 of the Energy Law Act, the opinion of the voivodship board with jurisdiction over the area is necessary in the matters related to granting and withdrawing licenses for generating electric power in renewable energy sources. Therefore, it is recommended to submit properly the applications well in advance of the planned date of starting the operation of the generating unit. The president of the ERO has a statutory obligation to ask for an opinion, and the 14 day deadline for issuing it cannot be abridged. If the application contains all the necessary exhibits and the voivodship board issues a positive opinion or does not issue it by the statutory deadline of 14 days, the case will be examined without unnecessary delay. For pursuant to art. 30 sec. 1 of the Energy Law Act, the provisions of the Administrative Proceedings Code apply to the procedure before the President of the ERO who sets the deadlines for closing the case art of the Code stipulates that the public administration authorities are obligated to handle the cases without unnecessary delay, and pursuant to 3 of the aforementioned article, a case that requires clarification, should be handled no later than within one month, very complicated cases no later than within two months from the date of launching the procedure, and appealed cases within one month from the date of receiving the appeal. Nevertheless it should be remembered that pursuant to art. 35 5, the deadlines envisaged in the provisions of law for performing the specified actions and the periods of delay resulting from a party s fault or from reasons beyond the regulatory authority s control are not included in the deadlines for handling the case. Therefore, a party s failure to take actions in compliance with the regulatory authority s summons may cause the administrative case to be handled in a correspondingly longer period of time. In addition (see also the aforementioned provisions of art. 64 of the Administrative Proceedings Code Act), mindful of art. 50 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act, it should be reminded that before making a decision to grant the license or to amend it, the President of the ERO as the licensing authority may: 1) summon the applicant to supplement, by the set deadline, the missing documentation confirming fulfillment of the conditions determined by the provisions of law, which are page 8 of 20

13 required for performance of the specified business activity, subject to non examination of the application; 2) verify the facts stated in the application for granting the license for the purpose of determining whether the entrepreneur fulfills the conditions for performance of the business activity covered by the license and whether it gives the guarantee of adequate performance of the activity covered by the license. Fees associated with securing the license (promise to license) Pursuant to art. 6 sec. 1 items 1 4 of the Stamp Fee Act of 16 November 2006 (Journal of Laws of 2006, No. 225, item 1635, as amended) [3], hereinafter referred to as the Stamp Fee Act, the obligation to pay the stamp fee for issue of the license (promise to license) emerges at the moment of submitting the application to issue the license (promise to license). The stamp fee rates, determined in an exhibit to the aforementioned act, for the tasks associated with the scope of actions of the President of the ERO, are as follows: - for a promise to issue a consent (promise to license) PLN 98 (part I item 20 of an exhibit to the Stamp Fee Act); - for an extension of the validity term or change of conditions of the promise to issue a consent (promise to license) PLN 44 (part I item 21 of an exhibit to the Stamp Fee Act); - for issuing a consent (license) PLN 616 (part III item 44 of an exhibit to the Stamp Fee Act); - for an extension of the validity term or change of conditions of the issued consent (license) if: - it concerns an extension of the validity term or broadening of the scope of activity 50% of the rate for issuing a consent (license) i.e. PLN 308 (part III item 46 of an exhibit to the Stamp Fee Act); - the change involves another type of activity 100 % of the rate for issuing a consent (license) i.e. PLN 616 (part III item 46 of an exhibit to the Stamp Fee Act). Pursuant to art. 3 of the Stamp Fee Act, the following actions are not subject to a stamp fee: performance of office duties, issuance of a certificate and consent (permit, license) if, pursuant to separate provisions, they are subject to other civil law fees or are exempt from those fees. Such exemption is envisaged under the Energy Law Act. page 9 of 20

14 Entrepreneurs generating electric power in renewable energy sources with total electric power not exceeding 5 MW are exempt from paying the following fees: - stamp fee for issuing the license pursuant to art. 9e sec. 18 item 3 of the Energy Law Act; - annual fee paid to the state budget specified in art. 34 sec. 1 of the aforementioned act pursuant to art. 34 sec. 4 of the aforementioned act. Pursuant to art. 7 items 2 and 3 of the Stamp Fee Act, the following entities are exempt from paying a stamp fee: - state budget units; - local self government units. If the document confirming the granting of a power of attorney or attorney in fact rights or its excerpt, extract or copy is submitted, the stamp fee in the amount of PLN 17 should be paid (part IV of an exhibit to the Stamp Fee Act). That fee is not collected in the event of submitting a document confirming granting of a power of attorney as well as its excerpt, extract or copy: - certified by a notary or an authorized authority, authorizing to receive the documents; - if the power of attorney is granted to a spouse, a descendant, an ancestor or a sibling; - if the principal is the entity specified in art. 7 items 1 5 of the Stamp Fee Act. Pursuant to art. 12 sec. 2 of the Stamp Fee Act, the tax authority with geographic jurisdiction in stamp fee matters: a) on performance of an office duty, issuing a certificate, a license (a promise to license) is the tax authority with geographic jurisdiction over the authority s seat; b) on submitting a document confirming granting of a power of attorney or attorney in fact rights or its excerpt, extract or copy is the tax authority with geographic jurisdiction over the place of submitting the document. Due to the fact that the seat of the central administration authority the President of the Energy Regulatory Office is the capital city of Warsaw, the stamp fee in the cases mentioned in item a) should be paid to the tax authority with geographic jurisdiction the Mayor of the capital city of Warsaw. If the payments are not made in cash, they should be paid to the bank account of the Office of the Wola District the capital city of Warsaw, Al. Solidarności 90, Warsaw, account no. 4 BANK HANDLOWY before making the payment, please check ERO s website at to verify the bank account data is upto date page 10 of 20

15 If the original of the stamp fee payment receipt is not attached to the application, which prevents the performance of an office duty, the Entrepreneur will be summoned to make the relevant payment. If the stamp fee payment receipt is not supplemented despite the fact that the summons to send it was dispatched, this will form the premise for returning the application pursuant to art. 261 of the Administrative Proceedings Code, which will result in termination of the procedure to issue a license (a promise to license). The list of documents, which should be attached to the application to grant the license for generating electric power in renewable energy sources (documents required for securing a promise to license are marked with the letter P ) I. Documents showing that the Entrepreneur meets the organizational requirements ensuring adequate performance of the business activity covered by the license (promise to license) 1) current certificate of entry in the register of business activities or excerpt from the register of entrepreneurs, obtained not earlier than 3 months prior to filing with the licensing authority (C or O)*; (P) 2) certificate of awarded tax identification number NIP (C or O)*; (P) 3) in the event of partnerships the articles of association (C)*; (P) 4) current information from the National Criminal Register about entrepreneur s lack of a criminal record (for commercial law companies company management board members, and for partnerships all partners) and current information from the National Criminal Register about the enterprise s lack of a criminal record, obtained not earlier than 3 months prior to filing with the licensing authority (O)*; (P) 5) entrepreneur s declaration that there is no pending application for declaring the entrepreneur s bankruptcy and that the enterprise is not insolvent (O)*; (P) 6) entrepreneur s declaration that all persons employed in the operation of the electric power networks, installations and equipment have qualifying certificates required by statutory provisions of th Energy Law Act, entitling to operate such networks, installations and equipment (O)*; (P) 7) entrepreneur s declaration that in the last three years the entrepreneur has not been deleted from the register of regulated activities for the reasons specified in art. 71 sec. 1 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act (O)*; (P) page 11 of 20

16 8) in the event of conducting actions through a proxy, the power of attorney to perform legal actions on the applicant s behalf (along with the original receipt for payment of the stamp duty amounting to PLN 17), (C or O)*; (P) 9) receipt for payment of the stamp duty due for issuing a license, amounting to PLN 616 (the fee does not apply to the entities specified in the Fees associated with securing the license (promise to license) section) or for issuing a promise to license, amounting to PLN 98 (O)*; (P) II. Documents showing that technical requirements ensuring adequate performance of business activities have been met 1) documents certifying the entrepreneur s legal title to the facilities and installations necessary for conducting the business covered by the license (e.g. notary deed, excerpt from the land and mortgage register, excerpt from the land register, lease agreements, lending agreements, invoices for purchase of a power station/generator(s), etc.) (C or O)*; (P) 2) description of the technical parameters of the equipment to be used for generation of electric power, including a description of the type of fuel used and technical status of the said equipment (C or O)*; (P) 3) chart and description of the installed metering system (and the scales in case of the biomass burning sources), from which the power production readings will be presented to President of the ERO for issue of certificates of origin; the chart and description should specify the location of the metering system in relation to the generating units, systems of powering for own needs and other recipients, including the operator of the power grid system (C or O)*; 4) decision about the terms of building up and using the land, or the decision on the location of a public interest investment (or a document confirming the admissibility of locating the planned investment on the given land site in the event of a promise to license), (C or O)*; (P) 5) decision granting the building permit for the equipment, installations and network (C or O)*; 6) documents advising about completing construction or launching operation of the facilities (depending on the terms specified in the building permit): page 12 of 20

17 a) permission to operate (C or O)*; b) notification to the relevant building supervisory authority about completing construction (filed at least 21 days in advance of the planned date of launching operation). In the event that the relevant building supervisory authority does not protest the investment, within 21 days of delivery of the aforementioned notification, a declaration about this fact should be attached to the procedural documentation (C or O)*; 7) report of technical inspection, acceptance and commissioning for operation of the power equipment, issued by the operator of the power grid to which the power station was connected (C or O)*; 8) decision on issuing a legal water permit (in the event of hydro stations), (C or O)*; 9) decision specifying the technical requirements for connection to the power grid (so called conditions for connecting to grid) or so called connection agreement (C or O)*; In addition, in case a power station uses the technology of biomass or biogas co burning with other fuels: so called Credential documentation. Installation for production and procedures for accounting the energy from renewable sources 2 copies (O)*; opinion about the presented documentation (formulated by an independent third party) 2 copies (O)*; III. Documents showing possession of financial capabilities ensuring adequate performance of the business activities covered by the license 1) specification of planned annual revenues and costs connected with the activities for which the license is sought, covering at least three years (schedule for financing the investment in the event of a promise), (O)*; (P) 2) financial statements for the last three years (annual PIT returns for natural persons or partners to civil law partnerships, balance sheets and profit & loss accounts for other entities), and should the entrepreneur be in business for less than three years the same documents for the time period since launching the business (C or O)*; (P) 3) current certificate from the relevant Tax Office confirming that the entrepreneur is not in arrears in payment of liabilities to the State Budget, issued no earlier than 3 months before filing with the licensing authority (C or O)*; (P) page 13 of 20

18 4) certificate from the relevant branch of ZUS Social Insurance confirming that the entrepreneur is not in arrears in payment of social insurance contributions, issued no earlier than 3 months before filing with the licensing authority (C or O)*; (P) 5) certificate from the bank keeping the entrepreneur s main account, specifying the entrepreneur s amount of turnover, payment and creditworthiness status, with information about credits extended to the entrepreneur and information whether the account is free of enforcement titles, issued no earlier than 3 months before filing with the licensing authority (C or O)*. (P) * designation of a document with the letter O documents submitted to the ERO must be originals; designation of a document with the letter C documents submitted to the ERO may be certified (on each page of the document) as conforming with the original, copies of such documents. It is permissible for the person acting on behalf of the entrepreneur who has also signed the license application to certify documents for compliance with the original. In such an event a document granting power of attorney must be attached, along with the original receipt for payment of the stamp duty due amounting to PLN 17, pursuant to provisions of the Stamp Duty Act. A sample application form, list of attachments and declarations in electronic form were posted on ERO s website at Change of conditions of the granted license (promise to license) The entrepreneur is obligated to report to the licensing authority the President of the ERO the change of any data referred to in art. 49 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act, which constitute the conditions that must be met by the License Holder. In addition, pursuant to art. 41 sec. 1 of the Energy Law Act, the President of the ERO may change the conditions of the issued license at the request of the power company. Changes in data should be reported within 14 days of the day of their emergence. This concerns in particular the following changes: 1) entrepreneur s business name, designation of the registered office and address or the place of residence and residential address as well as the main location of executing the business activity; page 14 of 20

19 2) number in the register of entrepreneurs or in the records and the taxpayer identification number (NIP); 3) specification of type and scope of execution of business activity (also including extension or limitation of the activity) for which the license will be or has already been granted. In addition, the information and the documents specified in the provisions regulating the business activity, which require securing the license, should be included in the application to change the conditions of the license (promise to license). Circumstances causing revocation and expiration of the license Pursuant to art. 58 sec. 1 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act, the licensing authority will revoke the license if: 1) a legally binding verdict has been issued which prohibits the entrepreneur from performing business activity covered by the license; 2) the entrepreneur did not start the activity covered by the license by the set deadline despite being summoned to do so by the regulatory authority or permanently discontinued performing business activity covered by the license. The licensing authority will revoke the license or change its scope if the entrepreneur: 1) is in gross breach of the conditions set forth in the license or other conditions for performing the licensed business activity defined by the provisions of law; 2) does not remove, by the set deadline, the factual or legal state of affairs inconsistent with the conditions set forth in the license or with the provisions regulating the business activity covered by the license. In addition, the licensing authority may revoke the license or change its scope: 1) due to risk to state s defenses and security or the security of citizens, 2) if the entrepreneur is declared bankrupt, 3) if the power company is divided or if it merges with other entities (pursuant to art. 41 sec. 4 item 2 of the Energy Law Act). At this point it should be reminded that pursuant to art. 155 of the Administrative Proceedings Code, the final decision (on the basis of which the party acquired the right) may be at any time repealed or changed, with the party s consent, by the public administration authority which issued it or by an authority of a higher level if the detailed provisions do not prohibit repealing or page 15 of 20

20 changing such decision and this is supported by the social interest or the right interest of the party, therefore the entrepreneur is obligated to execute the obligations resulting from the license. Pursuant to art. 41 sec. 2 of the Act Energy Law Act, in addition to the aforementioned premises, the President of the ERO may revoke the license if: 1) the relevant customs office head withdraws the consent for running a tax warehouse or the expiration thereof if before such expiration the entity did not secure a new consent according to the procedure and on the principles set forth in separate provisions with regard to the activity covered by that consent; 2) the conditions of the performed business activity covered by the license change in the scope set forth in the Act. Pursuant to art. 42 of the Energy Law Act, the license granted to a power company on the basis of the act expires before the elapse of time for which it was granted, as of the date on which the company is deleted from the relevant register or records. At the same time it should be emphasized that suspension of conducting business activity on the basis of the provisions of the Freedom of Business Activity Act does not result in suspension or change of license, therefore the entrepreneur is obligated to perform the obligations resulting from the issued license. Possibility of reapplying for the license Pursuant to art. 61 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act, the entrepreneur whose license was revoked for the reasons referred to in art. 58 sec. 1 item 1 and sec. 2 of that act may reapply for the license in the same scope no earlier than three years after the date on which the decision to revoke the license was issued. Audit of the business activity in the scope of the granted license Pursuant to art. 57 sec. 1 of the Freedom of Business Activity Act, the licensing authority may audit the business activity in the following areas: 1) consistency of the performed activity with the granted license; 2) compliance with conditions of execution of the business activity; 3) state s defenses or security and protection of security or property of the citizens. page 16 of 20