Renewable Energy Sources as the Future of the Energy Sector and Climate in Poland-Truth or Myth in the Opinion of the Society

The electricity sector in the 21st century should be associated with renewable energy sources (RES), which the majority of society currently equates with solar photovoltaics, wind power, and hydroelectricity, with this energy being used mainly in households. Households consume only 20% of energy, with the remainder used in various sectors of the national economy. In these sectors, the possibilities of using renewable energy sources should be sought. Many experts express the opinion that myths about renewable energy sources exist only in our minds and opinions, that we formed years ago, mainly under pressure from the decreasing number of supporters of conventional energy sources. Currently, we observe much greater possibilities of using renewable energy sources globally, and all forecasts suggest that-by 2050-the economy, transport, and industry may become almost emission-free and rely on RES. Of course, we cannot present renewable energy sources only in terms of superlatives, because they also involve many unknowns and myths which we will present in the article. Considering the complexity of factors influencing the involvement of young people in shaping the socio-economic reality, a group of people aged between 18 and 40 was selected for the study. The aim of this study was to identify the attitudes of young inhabitants of south-eastern Poland regarding the issues of climate change and renewable energy, and to identify the level of acceptance for changes in Poland's energy mix. The conducted research shows that the studied group of people appreciated the importance of climate change and considered the anthropogenic impact on this phenomenon to be of key importance. The perception of renewable energy was positive, and respondents saw the solution to the problems of the energy deficit in increasing the use of renewable energy sources. Respondents also showed significant support for nuclear energy and expected government support programs for activities related to energy conservation. The survey shall be repeated on a random sample at the time when the energy price changes caused by the transformation of the energy mix occur-i.e., around 2025.

Automated summary

The electricity sector in the 21st century should be related to renewable energy sources. A study conducted in southeast Poland revealed that young residents recognize the importance of climate change, have a positive perception of renewable energy, and support the increase in its use. They also show significant support for nuclear energy.