Energy Unplugged by Aurora EP.265 – Karol Wolański & Roch Baranowski on Poland’s Power Market Transition
Nov 25, 2025
This podcast features Roch Baranowski, Chief Strategy Officer at Respect Energy, known for his expertise in energy transition, and Karol Wolański, Head of Flexibility & Aggregation, who specializes in renewable balancing services. They delve into how Poland's power market is evolving with increasing renewable growth and regulatory changes. The discussion highlights innovative strategies for battery storage optimization, new PPA structures, and the commercial implications of balancing services. These insights position early movers to seize opportunities in an adapting market.
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Leapfrogging Opportunity In CEE Markets
- CEE markets can leapfrog mature markets by adopting newer technologies and business models later in the transition.
- Poland's transition is organic and fragmented, driven by prosumer PV and solar farms more than top-down plans.
Trader Turned Full-Spectrum Renewables Partner
- Respect Energy evolved from a wholesale trader into a full renewable developer and retailer over a decade.
- They built retail and development legs to offer offtake, PPAs, and asset development across Poland and 20 markets.
Balancing Reform Triggered Extreme Price Volatility
- Poland's balancing reform and Picasso integration created extreme volatility in imbalance prices with deep negatives and multi-thousand-euro spikes.
- That volatility penalizes passive BRPs but creates commercial opportunities for flexible, actively managed portfolios.