Infrastructure

Firm foundations for all investments
When compared with other regions of the country, Wielkopolska has a well-developed infrastructure. The region's infrastructure consists of many factors. It includes, among others, the road and railway network, as well as opportunities for water and air transport. The model of supplying electricity, gas, and oil is also significant. Good infrastructure is the basis for any investment. And those are plentiful in Wielkopolska. This means that infrastructure meets the requirements of businesses. The regional authorities, and the residents themselves, however, see the need to further expand infrastructure. Without constant development of the region’s infrastructure, it would not be possible for the region to fully open to investors and tourists from all over the world, as well as fulfil the needs of local residents.

Road infrastructure

The total length of the network of paved public roads in Wielkopolska is 28,948 km, which is 9.8% of the length of the entire country network. The most important elements of the road network in Wielkopolska include national and regional roads. Regional roads are managed by the Board of the Wielkopolska Region with the help of the Wielkopolska Region Roads Authority in Poznan, and national roads are managed by the General Director of National Roads and Motorways. The total length of national roads in the region is 1,741.0 km. The total length of regional roads is 2,728.7 km, of which 340.2 km are within city limits. The southern part of the region has a well-developed network of national roads complemented by regional roads, while the northern part of the region is characterized by a poorly developed network of national roads and a very dense network of regional roads.

The network of national roads in the region consists of:

1. a section of the A2 motorway,
2. sections of expressways: S5 and S8 (along the entire length within the region), S10 (Wyrzysk ring road) and sections S11 (Poznan west ring road, Poznan Krzesiny - Kórnik Południe, Jarocin ring road, Ostrów Wielkopolski ring road, Kępno ring road)
3. other GP- and G-class national roads no.: 10, 11, 12, 15, 22, 24, 25, 32, 36, 39, 72, 83, 92.

The lack of a coherent network of expressways essential for domestic and international connections is a significant problem. The following expressways are fully completed in the region: the S8 and S5 roads. The lack of the S11 expressway, which is constructed only in sections constituting ring roads for cities, has a negative impact on the capacity of the regional road network, particularly in the north-south direction. The S11 expressway is one of the most important communication routes connecting the north and south of our country, therefore the Association of Municipalities, Poviats and Provinces "S11 Road" was established, whose aim is to accelerate the construction of the S11 expressway, approx. 550 km long.

The network of national and regional roads in Wielkopolska is characterized by high traffic intensity. The average daily annual traffic of motor vehicles on all national roads in Wielkopolska in 2020/21 amounted to 14,615 vehicles a day (in Poland - 13,574 vehicles a day), and on national roads of international importance - 26,183 vehicles a day (in the country - 25,488 vehicles a day). On provincial roads in Wielkopolska, the average daily traffic of motor vehicles was 4,920 vehicles a day (in the country - 4,231 vehicles a day).

The largest average daily traffic on regional roads in Wielkopolska, more than 15,000 vehicles a day, was registered on the following roads:

• No. 194 - the section in the town of Gniezno,
• No. 311 - the section in the town of Komorniki,
• No. 196 - section Poznan - Murowana Goślina,
• No. 307 - section Poznan - junction S11 Ławica,
• No. 431 - the section in the town of Mosina,
• No. 194 - section Poznan - Kobylnica,
• No. 430 - section Luboń - Mosina,
• No. 434 - section Kórnik ring road,
• No. 430 - the section in the town of Luboń.

Energy and gas

The Wielkopolska Region is well supplied with electricity. The main generator of electricity in the Wielkopolska Region is Zespół Elektrowni Pątnów-Adamów-Konin (ZE PAK S.A.), located in the Region's eastern part. Currently, the power plant complex generates 1,118 MW of energy from lignite using its four generating units. Part of the site has been converted into a biomass burning plant (50 MW), which produces electricity and heat. The Group also has a 70 MW photovoltaic farm in the Brudzew municipality. Other significant producers include Elektrociepłownia Karolin (Poznań): 274 MW of electricity, 900 MW of heat; Ostrowski Zakład Ciepłowniczy (OZC S.A.): 101.3 MW; Energa Ciepło Kaliskie Sp. z o.o.: 60 MW; as well as the Hydropower plants on the Gwda River, with a total capacity of 8.6 MW. The Wielkopolska Region already meets 70% of its electricity demand, which provides a solid basis for further development. The potential for improving self-sufficiency is primarily seen in the development of renewable energy sources.

The DN1400 "Yamal" transit gas pipeline, which connects Russia with Western Europe, runs through the Wielkopolska Region. It enables supply to the northern and central parts of the Wielkopolska Region via a junction in Zębowo. Apart from this pipeline, the Wielkopolska Region has an extensive system of trunk gas pipelines of national importance. Access to these pipelines is provided by 4 interconnection points located in Krobia, Odolanów, Kotów and Zębów.

The national gas transmission system is supplemented by an extensive nitrogen-rich gas transmission system. It includes the following long-distance gas pipelines: Grodzisk–Krobia, Krobia–Radlin, Krobia–Głogów, Kościan–Zielona Góra, Krobia-Góra, Paproć–Grodzisk, Krobia–Odolanów, Odolanów–Bugaj–Wierzchowice, Kaleje–Radlin, Lwówek–Odolanów, Gustorzyn–Odolanów, Kościan–Żukowice/Polkowic, as well as a network of upstream gas pipelines and the individual system facilities connecting them.

In the Wielkopolska Region, 34.2% of the electricity comes from renewable energy sources (RES). The Region has a total of 628 plants with a total installed capacity of 1,409.7 MW. In this regard, it is one of the national leaders.

The largest number of RES plants is in the municipalities of Wolsztyn, Wągrowiec, Łubowo, Rogoźno and Nekla.

The Konin region, which has been undergoing an energy transition for several years, has the largest installed capacity. Wind power plants and photovoltaic farms predominate there. The Piła subregion ranks second in terms of installed capacity, with energy production based mainly on wind turbines. The Poznań subregion represents a special case on a regional scale, with installed photovoltaic capacity exceeding that of wind power plants, in addition to a notable share of energy production from agricultural biogas.

Due to the limited options regarding RES projects, which require considerable space, the City of Poznań has focused on developing a biomass power plant and a thermal waste conversion facility. An analysis of installed capacity by spatial distribution of municipalities indicated that the plants with the highest capacity are located in the Margonin municipality (120.9 MW), the City of Poznań (83.1 MW) and the Gołańcz municipality (82.59 MW).

For more information on renewable energy sources in the region, see the study "Analysis of the Potential of Renewable Energy Sources in the Wielkopolska Region", available at: https://wbpp.poznan.pl/277/analiza-potencjalu-odnawialnych-zrodel-energii-w-wojewodztwie-wielkopolskim.html.

Source: Periodic evaluation of the Spatial Development Plan for the Wielkopolska Region together with the Spatial Development Plan for the Poznań Functional Urban Area.