The primary objective of the initiative is enable decisive action to effectively combat climate change, including by mapping the region’s renewable energy potential, creating a network of ECO advisors on climate issues, and promoting the use of renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency.

“This is an important day for the Province of Kraków. The green transition of the power industry is one of the biggest challenges facing our region. We are hopeful for the release of funds to enable implementation of capital projects that will bolster the Province of Kraków's economic growth potential and help create new jobs. We are delighted that Grupa Azoty S.A.’s strategy aligns with the efforts of our provincial government to prevent, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and to alleviate the negative social and economic effects of the region’s energy transition,” says Witold Kozłowski, Marshal of the Province of Kraków.

The Province of Kraków intends to carry out the LIFE EKOMAŁOPOLSKA project in partnership with the academia and local community governments, using EU funds. The total budget of the project is approximately PLN 70 million.

“We stand at a critical juncture in the fight for our environment. Today, in the context of the overarching energy transition of the entire Province of Kraków, we need to aim for higher social development, economic, and environmental goals, whose achievement will require greater availability of funds for investment in deployment of state-of-the-art technologies and infrastructures that can provide clean energy, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve energy efficiency. We see tremendous opportunity in partnering with Grupa Azoty S.A. to execute initiatives supporting the green transition of energy-intensive industries, in particular projects related to the use of renewables and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030,” adds Tomasz Urynowicz, Deputy Marshal of the Province of Kraków.

In the agreement, Grupa Azoty S.A. has declared that it will strive to achieve climate neutrality of its production processes and other activities in the Province of Kraków by 2050.

“Grupa Azoty’s facilities which operate in close proximity to urban agglomerations manage production processes alongside vigorous environmental protection activities. We aim to actualise the concept of a circular economy and reduce CO2 emissions while maintaining our focus on enhancing the energy and raw material efficiency of our operations. To meet the high expectations of our customer base and other stakeholders, we are launching innovative products developed by the Company’s R&D units. These new types of fertilizers and plastics fall into the ‘green chemistry’ category, which remains one of our key focus areas,” says Tomasz Hinc, President of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty S.A.

As one of the region’s largest companies, Grupa Azoty has committed in the agreement to implementing projects related to the use of renewables and development of green ammonia and green hydrogen technologies.

“At Grupa Azoty, we are rigorously working on technologies that will facilitate the transition of our business in line with the European Green Deal. As the largest hydrogen producer in Poland, we are also stepping up efforts to increase our capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources, which will reduce our carbon footprint and enable us to produce green hydrogen and ammonia. Furthermore, we are intensively focusing on recycling activities and biodegradable plastics,” says Grzegorz Kądzielawski, Vice President of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty S.A.

The agreement establishes collaboration between Grupa Azoty and the Province of Kraków until the end of 2030. This marks yet another initiative undertaken by Grupa Azoty, which – being aware of the prevalence of air pollution, climate change, and the inevitable energy transition of the chemical industry and the economy at large – seeks to engage in all efforts that promote the achievement of climate and environmental goals.