Anna Mularczyk

The growing global interest in mitigating climate change implies an increased importance of sustainable development to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions. The paper analyses the impact of key economic and environmental factors, such as the share of renewable energy, gross domestic product (GDP), fossil fuel consumption, final energy consumption in households and industry, and forest area, on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the European Union (consisting of 27 members) and Poland for comparison—for the period from 1990 to 2023. The study fills a gap in identifying the cross-sectoral determinants of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, focusing specifically on Poland and the whole EU region since the beginning of the European Union. The research involved the implementation of statistical analyses, dynamic analyses, correlation analyses, and regression analyses. The results showed an increase in the share of renewable energy, GDP, and forest area, which was negatively correlated with the volume of GHG emissions. In contrast, final fossil fuel consumption and final energy consumption in industry and households (to a slightly lesser extent) were also significantly but positively correlated. It is worth noting that the strength of calculated relationships differed for the EU and Poland. The study revealed trends and correlations that affect GHG and are relevant to policy implications for EU climate goals. Considering the various determinants of GHG emissions and Poland’s unique situation (high dependence on coal and a large share of heavy industry), conclusions were formulated for Poland’s and the EU’s climate policies in the context of the European Green Deal.

Purpose: The study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of current research trends in photovoltaic (PV) applications through a bibliometric approach. Specifically, it seeks to identify the main areas of research, the geographical leaders, the temporal trends, and the recurring themes to guide future development. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a five-step procedure based on Hart's methodology, involving data collection, verification, bibliometric analysis, visualization, and results interpretation. The Scopus database was searched using specific keyword combinations, and tools like VOSviewer and Excel were employed for co-occurrence, temporal, geographical, and thematic analysis of publications. Findings: China, the United States, and India dominate PV application research, with significant contributions in materials science, engineering, and energy fields. Six application domains were analyzed: industry, household, transportation, solar farms, remote locations, and military, with industry and household applications being the most researched. Research limitations: The study is limited to the Scopus database. This database is broad. However, it may exclude relevant work from other databases. Additionally, studies with unconventional terminology or interdisciplinary scope may be omitted from keyword-based searches. Practical implications: By mapping PV research trends and dominant regions, the study can guide policymakers, investors, and researchers toward areas with high potential for development and innovation. The identified application domains can help prioritize funding and international collaboration in the most promising PV sectors. Originality: This research offers the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis explicitly focused on PV applications rather than general PV technology. It contributes to filling the knowledge gap by structuring research areas, identifying emerging topics, and revealing underexplored application domains.

In recent years, Poland has implemented substantial changes to its energy mix, resulting in an increased proportion of energy production from photovoltaics (PV). However, the photovoltaic energy market’s development is determined by several factors, and still requires further analysis. Therefore, the study’s main objective was to comprehensively understand the PV phenomenon and its development in Poland. Furthermore, a PESTEL analysis was undertaken to assess the macroeconomic context of the photovoltaic industry in Poland. A systematic literature review methodology was employed to achieve this. The study’s principal findings identified a number of pivotal opportunities and barriers to PV development. The environmental benefits of CO₂ reduction and the economic advantages, including cost savings and subsidies, were identified as significant opportunities, as were social acceptance and enhanced energy security. However, obstacles to progress include outdated grid infrastructure, high investment costs, environmental concerns during the PV lifecycle, and political uncertainties. Technical challenges like grid stability and high battery costs also impede growth. Potential strategies for improvement involve better public awareness campaigns, enhanced self-consumption through storage systems, and optimised system placement. Addressing these factors could transform current neutral aspects into either opportunities or threats for PV deployment.

Purpose: The article aimed to understand the structure of the energy mix in EU countries, particularly in comparison with Poland, from 1990-2022. Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted on data from 27 EU countries between 1990 and 2022 using statistical methods with particular emphasis on analysis of the dynamics of phenomena and clustering. Findings: Studies have confirmed a substantial increase in the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in the energy mix of the EU countries. A considerable increase was recorded in wind and solar energies. However, solid fuels still are in use in EU countries, particularly in countries whose economies are based on coal, including Poland. Originality/value: The article’s value is to view the development energy mix in Poland and the EU from a multidimensional analysis conducted in two separate time units. It allowed conclusions about the development of RES in Poland and the EU to be drawn.

This article aims to examine the factors affecting the acceptance of photovoltaic technology in Poland. Questions were asked about the perceived usefulness and ease of use of PV technology, how the attitudes and intentions of using PV technology are shaped, and how activities related to the promotion of PV technology are perceived. An examination was also conducted on which sociodemographic variables influence the above-mentioned constructs. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the economic usefulness of prosumer PV technology is rated the highest from the cost perspective. In terms of perceived ecological utility, the highest ratings were assigned to intentions to increase the production of green energy and to perceiving PV heating as ecological. In both of the above cases, the variables that statistically significantly influenced this assessment were age and the fact of having a PV system. The perceived ease of use of the PV system was also rated highly. The answers provided differed significantly depending on the possession of a PV system, gender, size of the place of residence and whether there was a person with technical education in the household. It was also noted that the attitudes towards the technology of prosumer PV systems are very favorable in terms of all the examined variables defining this construct. The variables that statistically differentiated the answers were experience in using PV systems, age, and size of the town. Furthermore, attention was drawn to ambiguous assessments of the perception of activities related to the promotion of prosumer PV systems. It was established that the only sociodemographic variable that determines statistically significant differences is age.

The energy transition that Poland is facing directs investment and research efforts towards renewable energy sources (RES). This topic has gained importance due to environmental and climate reasons and, recently, the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All these issues affect the availability and prices of fossil fuels, on which electricity production in Poland currently depends. Therefore, to change the current state of affairs, it is necessary to turn to other sources of energy, including RES. Particularly high hopes are placed on prosumer photovoltaic (PV) technology. Therefore, it becomes important to study the factors of acceptance of this technology among the Polish society. The aim of this paper is to answer two research questions: (1) what factors shape intentions to invest in prosumer PV technology and (2) what factors shape attitudes towards this technology. The research was conducted using a questionnaire on a sample of 430 people. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that intentions are mainly shaped by attitudes towards PV technology and, to a small extent, by the media promotion of this technology. On the other hand, the factors shaping attitudes towards prosumer PV technology are environmental, economic, and those related to the perceived ease of use of PV technology. Social factors, in the light of the research conducted, do not influence attitudes towards the technology under study.

This article attempts to evaluate the My Electricity program concerning increasing renewable energy production in photovoltaic (PV) prosumer sources (PV micro-installations) in Poland. The assessment is made from the perspective of beneficiaries, business, and local community. One may also find an answer to the question of how this program should be modified so that it continues to support the development of PV systems in Poland. Moreover, how Poles assess the PV technology, in terms of the safety of its users and its impact on the environment, is studied. For this purpose, there was exploratory, qualitative, and quantitative research conducted. Twelve case studies were used as well as online questionnaires conducted on prosumers who used the My Electricity program to install PV micro-installations (57 respondents). By means of interviews, there was a confrontation of their point of view with the opinions of seven skeptics of such installations. Moreover, five experts from the energy industry and politicians involved in the transformation of the energy system were interviewed in order to balance the enthusiastic opinions of prosumers and the skeptical views of objectors to home PV systems. The results of our research indicate that the program is rated very well by enthusiasts of PV systems, although they emphasize the high investment costs and the lack of solutions supporting energy storage. Experts point out that the power grid in Poland is not prepared for such an immediate increase in prosumer PV systems, and they suggest more care in solving this problem.

The article deals with the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the awareness of economics students as future managers responsible for the implementation of this idea in enterprises. Due to the fact that CSR is a source of many innovations today, the aim of the research was to learn about the awareness and opinions of students about CSR on such issues as: reasons for implementation, main activities, impact on profitability, and the need to explore and assess the usefulness of this knowledge. The research was conducted in 2019 among students from Poland and Georgia (as countries at various stages of advancement in the market economy). The results of the research were statistically analyzed in terms of obtaining answers to the hypotheses and research questions, checking the significance of differences in the answers due to nationality, and additionally, gender (chi-square test and test for two proportions). The primary contribution of this study is an exploration of the views of students on various issues of CSR and sustainability. The results showed that—according to students—ethical values, increased consumer awareness, and the desire to gain a competitive advantage are the most common reasons for the implementation of the CSR concept by companies. The vast majority of respondents indicated the need to enrich the knowledge of business ethics as an important aspect shaping the attitudes of employers and employees. The positive attitude of students regarding the impact of CSR on the company’s profitability was confirmed, although the authors expected more unambiguous results. Differences were also distinguished between the responses of students from both countries on some issues, such as: opinions on the developing ethical sensitivity, the need for the credibility of the EU economic policy, ecology and relations with the local community, as well as relations with the closest stakeholders of companies. The results of the conducted research suggest the need for intense activity in the field of public awareness and the requirement of personnel training for the skilful implementation of CSR principles in enterprises.