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Costly fertiliser could weigh on Polish power use
Costly fertiliser could weigh on Polish power use
London, 23 April (Argus) — The higher cost of natural gas due to the US-Iran war could limit production of fertilisers and chemicals in Poland, weighing on the industry's power consumption. Polish chemicals company Grupa Azoty — which has a 48pc share of the Polish fertiliser market — is still running at capacity, unlike during the energy crisis of 2022, the firm told Argus . But high gas prices could eventually weigh on production. Chemical industry power use Poland's chemical industry — covering fertilisers, oil products, petrochemicals and other products — consumed 7.3TWh of electricity in 2024, accounting for 4.42pc of Polish demand, according to the latest data from Statistics Poland. Consumption rose by 2pc/yr in 2014-21, reaching 8.27TWh in 2021. But production dropped in 2022, when the energy crisis hit, falling by 5pc and then by a further 13pc in 2023. And while consumption increased in 2024, it only recovered to 2016 levels. The increase in oil and gas prices because of the Middle East conflict since late February has pushed up producers' fuel and raw material costs. Energy can account for 50–80pc of chemical sector production costs, according to industry chamber PIPC. Nitrogenous fertilisers — which made up 75pc of Polish fertiliser production in 2021-25 — use gas as a feedstock and a fuel. The TTF everyday price has risen by 37pc since the start of the conflict and was 23pc up on the year in March. And the price of German CAN fertiliser — indicative of nitrogenous fertiliser prices in the region — has risen by €95/t to €437.50/t since 26 February . Continued disruption could curb demand if farmers use less fertiliser on crops in the face of rising costs, Grupa Azoty said. In 2022, Polish fertiliser output fell because of surging energy prices. Nitrogenous fertiliser production fell by 17pc in 2022 and by 15pc in 2023. But Polish producers might now be in a stronger position, as they face less competition from imports made with cheaper gas owing to new EU tariffs. And since the start of 2026, the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism adds a carbon charge to imports of fertilisers. Poland's fertiliser output was up by 2pc on the year to 411,000t in January-February, although output is still lower than pre-2022 levels. March figures have yet to be released. Little change in production methods Electricity demand in energy-intensive sectors, such as the manufacture of fertilisers and basic chemicals, is "expected to increase" in the longer term, driven by electrification and hydrogen production, PIPC told Argus, although it noted that Poland is constrained by a lack of "affordable renewable electricity and supporting infrastructure". So far, Grupa Azoty says there have have been no changes to production that would "materially" increase its electricity consumption. For now, it is focusing on efficiency improvements that could reduce gas use. Grupa Azoty is "analysing" the viability of partial electrification and adoption of low-emission and green ammonia in operations, but stressed that changes are contingent on "competitively priced" renewable energy. Wind and solar accounted for a combined 27pc of Polish generation last year. But 68pc was from gas, coal or lignite. Outlook for hydrogen in Polish fertilisers Hydrogen — a key component in ammonia — can be produced from natural gas or by electrolysis. Producing ammonia with hydrogen from electrolysis increases power input requirements to 9–12MWh per tonne, compared with roughly 1MWh needed for natural gas-based hydrogen, according to IEA estimates. Poland aims to build 2GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030. But none of Poland's industrial sectors has adopted electrolysis at scale yet, the climate and environment ministry has told Argus . Electrolysis capacity currently stands at 7.5MW. National development bank BGK agreed subsidies in October for five projects with a combined electrolysis capacity of 343MW. But no renewable hydrogen project has reached a final investment decision in Poland to date. Renewable power supply, grid infrastructure and storage capacity might not be sufficient to meet existing targets, PIPC told Argus . And the higher cost of renewable hydrogen relative to fossil-based hydrogen could further "weaken the competitiveness" of Poland's chemical industry. By Jessamy Guest Chemical power, gas use TWh (power LHS, gas RHS) Power consumption, fertiliser output TWh, mn t Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
UK gives energy regulator growth and net zero mandates
UK gives energy regulator growth and net zero mandates
London, 23 April (Argus) — The UK government has given energy regulator Ofgem an explicit mandate to prioritise economic growth and the clean energy transition alongside consumer protection, in the most wide-ranging review of the regulator since it was established in 2000. The change — set out in the final report of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's (Desnz) Ofgem Review — replaces the regulator's single consumer-protection objective with three equal duties covering consumer protection, net zero and economic growth. The restructure would allow Ofgem to give more weight to long-term network investment when balancing trade-offs against near-term impacts on consumer bills, Desnz said. The review was launched in December 2024 against a backdrop of criticism over Ofgem's handling of the 2021-22 energy crisis, during which 30 suppliers failed and household bills reached record highs. The UK's energy retail market has also changed substantially since 2000, with the government arguing that the current regulatory model has not kept pace. The review sets out a clearer division of responsibilities between government, Ofgem and electricity grid operator Neso. Desnz will set out strategic objectives through a new Ofgem-specific Strategy and Policy Statement, while Ofgem determines how to deliver them. Stakeholders had raised concerns about blurred accountability across the three bodies, particularly as Neso takes on a greater role in strategic energy planning. The regulator's enforcement toolkit will be expanded, acquiring direct consumer law enforcement powers without recourse to the courts. The review also introduces an Energy System Value Chain framework to replace the current technology-based licensing model, giving the energy minister powers to extend Ofgem's remit to new activities without primary legislation. Ofgem's role will narrow in other respects. The regulator will not take on the delivery of new schemes on behalf of government, with energy efficiency scheme administration set to transfer to a proposed Warm Homes Agency. Industry body Energy UK said the review fell short of what was needed. "It is disappointing that this review falls short of the radical reform that is necessary to create a more streamlined and focused regulator," chief executive Dhara Vyas said. Most of the proposed reforms require primary legislation, for which no timeline has been confirmed. By Timothy Santonastaso Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
EU draft sets granular GOO rules for data centres
EU draft sets granular GOO rules for data centres
London, 23 April (Argus) — The European Commission has closed its public consultation on a draft regulation to rate the sustainability of data centres in Europe, proposing sub-hourly, location-based matching for guarantees of origin (GOOs). The regulation, expected to come into force by the end of the second quarter, would require data centres to use GOOs matched on a 15-minute production period and sourced from the same bidding zone as the data centre, to claim electricity consumption from renewable sources. This obligation is "conditional to the availability of such granular GOOs in the relevant member state". GOOs must be purchased from assets commissioned no more than 10 years before the current reporting year, although long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) in place by 15 May that include bundled GOOs will be exempt from this rule until the end or renewal of the PPA. Certificates will be part of a broader sustainability label, which will include power and water usage effectiveness and a breakdown of energy consumption by onsite renewable generation, PPAs, GOOs and non-renewable sources. Sustainability labels will be automatically generated by 15 August 2027 and updated annually, based on information uploaded on to the European database on data centres, introduced in 2024. Voluntary features on the label include grid functions such as the data centre's role in supporting stability and peak demand shifting, as well as waste heat reuse. Figures from a technical report covering 2023 data show that total energy consumption from 608 data centres averaged 19.8GWh across the 27 EU member states. On average, renewable sources accounted for about 16.8GWh, made up of 12.5GWh from GOOs and 5.3GWh from PPAs, while on-site renewable generation made up only 0.2pc. A second technical report, released before the public consultation, highlighted that "GOOs may come from old, depreciated … plants and thus does not necessarily lead to investment in new, low-carbon power generation". Temporal and location-based matching, alongside asset age restrictions for procuring GOOs, aim to create a standardised system and improve the quality, consistency and transparency of performance indicators. The commission is pushing for greater granularity in the GOO market more broadly, recommending earlier this week that national registries provide uniform, granular data to boost cross-border PPA uptake. The European Energy Certificate System, operated by the Association of Issuing Bodies, supports sub-hourly matching, but not all national registries have the IT capability to record data at this level of granularity. Only a few countries including Sweden, Switzerland and Portugal currently support 15-minute production data for GOO issuance. Electricity demand from data centres in the EU totalled 70TWh in 2024, and is estimated to increase to 115TWh by 2030, according to the IEA. By Gian Remnant Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
EU publishes energy crisis plans
EU publishes energy crisis plans
Brussels, 22 April (Argus) — The European Commission today published a series of actions to address what it called a "fossil energy" crisis, as the war in the Middle East continues to disrupt global oil and gas supplies. The commission estimates the EU has spent an additional €24bn on energy imports since the conflict started, reflecting higher prices and tighter supply. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc must accelerate the shift to domestic and clean energy to strengthen energy security and reduce dependence on imports. A central element of the plan is closer co-ordination among member states, including on refilling underground gas storage and, if required, emergency releases of oil stocks, as outlined in previous drafts . To improve oversight of fuel markets, the commission confirmed it will establish a new EU Fuel Observatory from May 2026. The body will track EU production, imports, exports and stocks of transport fuels, as well as refining capacity and military fuel stocks. The commission said it will also co-ordinate with EU states, fuel suppliers, airports and airlines on sourcing and distributing alternative jet fuel supplies. Officials are assessing whether jet fuel should be included in obligatory strategic stocks. Other measures include a temporary state aid framework to support the most exposed sectors. The commission's executive vice-president Teresa Ribera said there was "no alternative" to the Green Deal, the EU's climate and energy transition strategy, adding that "citizens and businesses are paying the price of our dependency". The commission's final document addresses calls by five EU ministers for a windfall levy on energy firms, saying member states may take measures to tax windfall profits "to ensure social fairness". The commission said it will respect national decisions and share best practices. The commission also wants to increase annual renewable electricity deployment to 100GW as part of efforts to cut reliance on imported fossil fuels. The commission said it will adopt a legislative proposal by July to update the EU emissions trading system (ETS). But officials declined to give a firm timetable for publishing updated ETS benchmarks, saying only that this would happen "soon". Officials said the ETS review would increase clean energy financing via the Industrial Decarbonisation Bank, supported by €100bn, and the Investment Booster funded by 400mn ETS allowances. The commission is also considering greater support for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and sustainable maritime fuels through the ETS framework. While many of the measures are recommendations to member states, changes to the ETS require approval by the European Parliament. Green MEP Michael Bloss criticised the absence of an EU-wide windfall tax, the lack of concrete consumption reduction measures and delays in setting a firm electrification goal. Speed limits and home-working rules are free and sharply reduce consumption, he said. "Fuel discounts artificially stimulate demand, provide little relief and do so indiscriminately, and in the end cost consumers three times over," Bloss added. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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