While energy stock market quotations may give an illusory sense of stability, the reality for entrepreneurs is shaped by expenditure on grid upgrades and the stringent requirements of Western contractors. In this new dispensation, photovoltaics and energy storage are becoming a critical tool for optimising the bottom line.
We talk to Przemysław Brzywcy, CEO of Polenergia Fotowoltaika, about whether Polish companies are ready to ‘move energy over time’, why the lack of a low-carbon strategy may cut off access to capital and how to realistically secure a budget in 2026.
Brandsit: In today’s market reality, is the transition to green energy still mainly a matter of image-building for the company, or is it already a hard cost optimisation that defends itself in the financial results?
Przemysław Brzywcy: Just looking at the quotations of the Polish Power Exchange over the last two or three years, one might get the impression that energy prices have fallen and the topic is no longer pressing. However, this is a very apparent picture.
In parallel to the price of energy itself, distribution charges are rising steadily, and far faster than inflation. This is due to the need for huge investments in the modernisation and expansion of the grid, which are necessary in order for the system to accommodate increasing amounts of renewable sources. These outlays are then naturally passed on to the grid users.
In addition, large-scale RES projects under ERO auctions and contracts for difference are coming into the system. When these installations come on stream, the costs of operating the system will also be spread across all consumers.
As a result, companies do not just pay for the ‘price of energy from the exchange’, but for the whole system. Therefore, investments in photovoltaics and energy storage cease to be an image element and become a very rational tool for cost optimisation, which can be seen in the financial results in real terms.
Brandsit: Combining energy storage with dynamic tariffs sounds promising, but requires a change in thinking about power consumption. Are Polish companies technologically ready to automatically control their energy consumption depending on the instantaneous price of energy, and how do storages help in this?
P.B.: This does indeed require a change in approach, but technologically Polish companies are increasingly better prepared for this. Many plants already have energy monitoring and management systems in place, and their integration with energy storage and algorithms that react to market prices is not a technological barrier today, but rather a matter of a business decision.
In my opinion, this is one of the most underestimated directions for optimising energy costs. Companies very often have an unstable demand for power, which generates additional costs, overrun charges and the risk of price fluctuations. Energy storage makes it possible to compensate for this instability by stabilising the consumption profile.
“Integration with energy storage and market price-responsive algorithms is not a technological barrier today, but rather a business decision issue.”
Tariffs linked to the energy market, on the other hand, offer the opportunity to buy electricity at times of very low or even negative energy prices and to reduce consumption when prices are highest. You could say that we ‘transfer’ energy over time.
This allows the company to simultaneously take advantage of market opportunities and hedge against price spikes. In practice, it is a solution that, when properly designed, can significantly improve the economics of a company’s overall energy consumption and increase its cost predictability.
Brandsit: Are you observing a trend where Polish companies are having to switch to green energy not by their own choice, but under pressure from Western contractors who require suppliers to report a zero carbon footprint?
P.B.: Yes, this is a very clear and widespread trend that we are seeing with our customers, especially those with export operations in Western European markets. You can see it strongly in the food industry, but also in the whole supply chain linked to the automotive sector.
Increasingly, Polish companies involved in these supply chains have to report their carbon footprint and demonstrate the share of energy from renewable sources. In many industries, this is no longer an advantage, but a condition for keeping the contract.
At the same time, entrepreneurs are seeing more and more clearly that this is not just a response to ESG requirements or contractor expectations. Properly designed RES-based solutions simply pay off. Green energy is ceasing to be an image element and is becoming a source of real cost and competitive advantage.
That is why companies today combine two aspects. On the one hand, they are building their credibility with their foreign partners, and on the other, they are making an investment that is defended by a very concrete business case.
Brandsit: To what extent does the lack of an implemented ESG strategy and the use of conventional energy sources make it difficult for companies today to obtain cheap investment credit or attract investors?
P.B.: To a very large extent. Financial institutions and investment funds are increasingly evaluating companies not only through the prism of financial performance, but also through how they manage environmental and energy risks. The lack of an ESG strategy, including the lack of energy transition measures, is having a real impact on financing conditions today.
“The lack of an ESG strategy, including the lack of energy transition activities, is having a real impact on financing conditions today.”
It is also of paramount importance for exports. Foreign contractors pay attention to how goods are produced and what energy is used in the manufacturing process. This ceases to be an element of image and becomes an element of assessing business credibility.
Brandsit: What one key step would you advise company managements who want to not only meet the new regulatory requirements in 2026, but above all to realistically protect their budgets against rising energy costs?
P.B.: First of all, ask for a solid business case. Boards should talk to technology providers in a very simple way – ‘how will this investment pay off in my organisation’. Whether we are talking about solar PV, energy storage or a combination of both.
It is worth clearly defining acceptable criteria for the rate of return and evaluating these solutions from this angle. Photovoltaics or energy storage are not gadgets or fashion items today. They are real, quantifiable tools that allow a company to stabilise its energy costs and improve its bottom line.
