ZKlaster – the Zgorzelec Cluster for the Development of Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency – is widely regarded as one of the most successful cases of social innovation in energy in Poland. It aims at setting up a regional Renewable Energy System (RES), to replace the brown coal mining in the region. Representatives of local authorities in the area signed an agreement on the basis of which a “Committee for the Transformation of the Turoszów Region” was established. The role of the Committee is to work for the transformation of the coal region, in accordance with the requirements of national and international law, in cooperation with the European Commission under the "Platform for Coal Regions in Transition".  

The agreement was initiated by the Poviat Starosty Board (regional adminitration board) of the Zgorzelec county. It aimed at building a multi-stakeholder process, engaging both buisnesses and citizens. One of the key success factors of the cluster can be seen in successfully attracting private business investments into RES infrastructure to build an alternative local energy system, ready to replace the regional coal mine.

ZKlaster aims to accelerate and manage the energy transition in the region, especially the coal exit transition. The Turow mine in the region is one of the largest open cast mines in Poland and closely linked to the mining history of the whole cross-border region (including mining bordering regions in Czech Republic and Germany).  

Managing and accelerating the coal exit and the transition to a RES has large direct impacts for achieving climate neutrality. The ZKlaster furthermore holds large potential in showcasing a socio-technical transition model, where a central large coal power plant is substituted with decentral RES, engaging stakeholders in the region and creating a Prosumer-model that creates ownership and social as well as economic benefits.  

ZKlaster refers mostly to EU regulation, as the national level regulations are portrayed mainly as barriers. The following regulations play a role in the institutional work carried out by the cluster:   

• RED II directive 

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive,  

• Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 

• the Freedom of Access for information Directive  

• Water Framework Directive 

• EU ETS  

• Fit for 55 policy 

At the national level, Poland’s National Energy 

and Climate Plan for the years 2021–2030 is referenced, as well as the Strategy for Responsible Development (2017) followed by ’Poland’s Energy Policy until 2040’ (2021).  

The unique structure of the Cluster allows for the implementation of ambitious projects on many levels. It allowed the potential of cooperation between many different institutions. 

The subject of RES energy, in addition to building sources and other aspects of the energy department (service, distribution and transmission), also includes Research and Development, innovative, as well as social and educational aspects.  

Besides ZKlaster as a regional energy cluster itself, there is a national chamber of energy clusters, which is a non-governmental association established in April 2020. Its purpose is the representation of all energy clusters’ members and their economic interests (including entrepreneurs and their unions).  

• According to research a success factor of the ZKlaster results from the fact that from the beginning it has been conceived as a business venture based on private capital. 

• The second important factor is the engagement of people with previous business or technical experience.  

• The third success factor is the ability to network efficiently. ZKlaster’s coordinator is also the president of the National Chamber of Energy Clusters, thus a high level of social capital can be assumed as a key enabler.  

• The national energy ministry had set up energy clusters via a competition for pilots. This has opened the door to the world of energy for local actors. The very fact of having the logo of the Ministry of Energy and an inscription as "Certified Cluster" for communication materials made local governments take a different approach to discussions on development opportunities. 

(Dańkowska 2021) 

• The main barrier to the development of clusters is the current law. The definition of a cluster is too general, the benefits of joining a cluster for individual entities are unclear, relations between clusters and distribution network operators are unregulated, and there is a lack of financial incentives. 

• At a social level, the most difficult thing was to influence the social awareness, where three generations were brought up on a “coal culture” 

(Dańkowska/Dembek/Stasik 2021) 

Main positive lessons/opportunities identified:  

• Pilots can be set up even in a non-supportive environment.  

Main failures/barriers identified: 

• Pilots are limited from the top 

https://zklaster.pl/ 

Dańkowska, Alicja (2021): Participatory experimentation and incubation in Poland. Research Report, SONNET: EU Horizon 2020 Grant agreements no: 837498 

Dańkowska Alicja; Dembek, Agata; Stasik,  Agata. (2021): D3.2. Report on the findings on examining SIE-fields and their SIE-initiatives, Research Report, SONNET: EU Horizon 2020 Grant agreements no: 837498