Polish lawmakers amend wind energy law in response to calls for less spacing

Poland's lower house of parliament, the Sejm, has approved a bill to relax the rules on the installation of onshore wind turbines, following pressure from the European Union to promote renewable energy in the coal-reliant country.

Lawmakers voted 231-209 with two abstentions to allow turbines to be erected no closer than 700m from houses, in contrast to the current rule introduced in 2016, which requires a distance of at least 10 times the turbine's height.

The move is expected to facilitate the development of wind energy projects in the country, which has been stalled due to the strict regulations. The law also provides residents with more say in the location of turbines and a 10% share of the energy produced. However, critics argue that the bill still limits the number of potential locations and the amount of power Poland can derive from the wind, while others are calling for greater promotion of renewable energy to reduce the reliance on Russian energy and address soaring energy prices.