The Reform Institute is launching a new series of comprehensive analyses tracking progress on the key demands of Polish companies and industry associations outlined in the Pact for Polish Industry. The Quarterly Report on Industrial Transformation highlights the areas where Poland has made progress in supporting industrial transformation, and where changes are proceeding too slowly or not at all. 

Presentation Summary: 

Presentation 1: Monitoring Summary: Where do we stand in the first quarter of 2026, and what should the priorities be for the coming quarters? 

Maciej Lipiński, Energy and Climate Policy Analyst, and Halina Jagielska, Junior Climate and Energy Analyst, Reform Institute

The presentation focused on the first quarterly edition of the industrial policy monitoring conducted as part of the Pact for Polish Industry. Progress and barriers in the areas of industrial strategy, financing the transition, regulation, and dialogue with industry were discussed. 

Presentation 2: Go4EcoPlanet Kujawy Project: Implementation of CCS Technology with Funding from the EU Innovation Fund 

Radosław Gnutek, Director of CO₂ Capture and Storage Projects, Holcim Polska 

The presentation focused on a full- scale CO₂ capture and storage project being implemented at the Kujawy cement plant with support from the EU Innovation Fund. The challenges of decarbonizing the cement industry, regulatory barriers, and infrastructure needs related to the development of CCS technology were discussed. 

Summary of the discussion: 

• The purpose of the meeting was to present the first monitoring of industrial transformation conducted by the Reform Institute  as part of the Pact for Polish Industry and to discuss the challenges associated with the decarbonization of energy-intensive industries in Poland. 

• The meeting was attended by representatives of think tanks, the private sector, public administration, and industry organizations involved in energy and industrial transformation. 

• The main issue addressed was whether current strategic, regulatory, and financial instruments are sufficient to carry out industrial transformation and what kind of public support is needed for decarbonization projects. 

Perspectives of key stakeholders: 

Reform Institute: 

• The lack of a coherent, integrated industrial strategy in Poland was highlighted, as were delays in work on key strategic documents (NECP, Polish Energy Policy 2040/2050, Poland’s Development Strategy 2035). 

• It was emphasized that Poland remains one of the few large EU economies without a comprehensive industrial strategy. 

• Attention was drawn to the need for a systemic approach to financing the transition after 2027, including the use of ETS funds and the new state aid framework (CISAF). 

• The need for a more permanent and institutionalized dialogue between the administration and industry was highlighted. 

• Selected regulatory measures from the first quarter of 2026 were discussed, including the Network Act, deregulation proposals, and initiatives regarding local content. 

Industrial Sector – Holcim Polska: 

• It was emphasized that the cement industry is among the sectors difficult to decarbonize due to process emissions resulting from clinker production. 

• In the company’s assessment, CCS technology currently remains the only available method for deep reductions in process emissions. 

• The Go4ECOPlanet project is expected to prevent approximately 10 million tons of CO₂ over 10 years and account for about 10% of emissions from the entire Polish cement sector. 

• Holcim highlighted the importance of support from the Innovation Fund, but also emphasized the high operational costs of CCS technology. 

• The lack of national regulations regarding CO₂ storage was identified as the main barrier, particularly the absence of a siting regulation enabling the development of storage infrastructure. 

Main discussion topics: 

Thematic Block 1: Industrial Strategy and Public Policies 

The discussion focused on the need to create a coherent and actionable industrial transformation strategy in Poland. Representatives of the Reform Institute  noted that despite the announcements contained in the NECP, there is still a lack of specific information regarding the scope and timeline for preparing the industrial strategy. It was also emphasized that delays in finalizing documents such as the NECP, the Poland 2035 Development Strategy, and the National Energy Policy hinder the development of a long-term system for managing the transition. 

It was also noted that industrial policy requires greater coordination between regulatory, financial, and investment instruments, as well as stronger public administration involvement in shaping a comprehensive industrial policy. 

Thematic Block 2: Financing the Industrial Transition 

A key theme of the discussion was the issue of financing industrial transition and the uncertainty surrounding the outlook beyond 2027. It was noted that current sources of support—including EU funds and ETS-related funds—are gradually being exhausted, while the new EU financing model remains unclear. 

Representatives of the Reform Institute emphasized the importance of swiftly implementing the new state aid rules (CISAF) and the need to create national instruments supporting decarbonization investments. The French program supporting the deep decarbonization of large industrial plants was cited as an example of best practices. 

In Holcim’s presentation, the importance of funding from the Innovation Fund was particularly highlighted, as it enabled the launch of a CCS project at the Kujawy cement plant. At the same time, it was emphasized that even high levels of investment support do not solve the problem of the very high operating costs of CO₂ capture and storage technologies, related, among other things, to energy, logistics, and CO₂ transport. 

Thematic Block 3: Decarbonization Technologies and CCS 

A significant portion of the discussion focused on CO₂ capture and storage technologies as a solution for sectors difficult to decarbonize, particularly the cement industry. Holcim emphasized that most emissions in cement production are process-related and cannot be eliminated solely through electrification or the use of renewable energy sources. 

However, it was noted that further emission reductions require the use of CCS. The Go4ECOPlanet project was presented as the first full-scale CO₂ capture project in Poland, implemented using cryogenic technology. 

The discussion strongly highlighted the problem of a lack of infrastructure and regulations regarding CO₂ storage in Poland. Holcim pointed out that despite changes in geological and mining law, key regulations enabling the practical launch of CO₂ storage projects are still missing, which may limit the development of the entire CCS sector in Poland. 

Barriers: 

Legal barriers: 

• Lack of a comprehensive industrial strategy. 

• Delays in preparing key strategic documents. 

• Inadequate or incomplete regulations regarding CO₂ storage. 

• Lack of a stable and predictable framework for long-term investments. 

Technological barriers: 

• High complexity of CCS technology. 

• Limited CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure. 

• High operating costs of decarbonization projects. 

Financial barriers 

• Delays in implementing new state aid rules under CISAF and Poland’s failure to fully utilize available support instruments. During the meeting, it was emphasized that some EU countries have already adapted their aid systems to the new guidelines and are actively launching support programs for industry, while Poland is lagging behind in this process. 

• High investment costs of industrial projects. 

• Limited availability of domestic support mechanisms. 

Key recommendations: 

For public administration: 

• Accelerate work on the industrial strategy and strategic documents related to the energy transition. 

• Accelerate the implementation of national state aid mechanisms compliant with the new CISAF guidelines and make fuller use of available European support instruments for energy-intensive industries and decarbonization projects. 

• Create a stable regulatory framework for CCS technologies, including regulations on CO₂ storage. 

• Maintaining an ongoing dialogue with industry and industry organizations. 

For the private sector: 

• Continuing investments in emission-reducing technologies and energy efficiency. 

• Developing demonstration and pilot projects related to CCS and other decarbonization technologies. 

• Collaborating with government and the research sector on innovation implementation, and fostering a space for cross-sectoral dialogue. 

Final Conclusions 

The meeting demonstrated that industrial transformation in Poland is entering a phase requiring both better coordination of actions by the state, industry, and European institutions, as well as more proactive engagement by the national public administration in the areas of industrial strategy, financing the transition, regulation, and infrastructure development for decarbonization technologies. The growing role of deep decarbonization technologies, such as CCS, was particularly emphasized, especially in energy-intensive sectors where opportunities for further emission reductions using other tools are becoming limited. Participants emphasized the need to swiftly finalize strategic and regulatory processes and establish stable mechanisms for financial and infrastructure support. Without these measures, the implementation of large-scale decarbonization projects may face significant barriers despite the availability of technologies and European funding.