Increasing energy prices as a stimulus for entrepreneurship in renewable energies: Ownership structure, company size and energy policy in companies in Poland

Abstract

Can rising electricity prices be a driving force for energy transition in countries where the energy sector is d pendent on coal? The goals of the article are to determine the readiness of entrepreneurs to invest in renewable energy and indicate the variables (company size, the length of time it has operated in the market, the form of ownership and the sector of the economy represented) that influence companies’ greater interest in making savings in energy costs. The research sample in the survey carried out using the computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) method included representatives of entrepreneurs from all regions of Poland. The result for all respondents was checked with the z-test (proportion test). The results obtained on a sample of 400 Polish entrepreneurs responsible for development policies in their companies explain which variables have the greatest impact on the decisions of companies in the context of investments in renewable energy: in Poland, greater interest in renewable energy can be observed in the public sector and in larger companies. The conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that the ownership structure of a company plays an important role in looking for savings by investing in renewable energy.