Poland sees surge in pellet prices driving heating cost hikes

Polish households are confronting sharply higher heating expenses as pellet prices have risen 30‑35 % over the past year. The Spółdzielnia Mieszkaniowa Stokrotka in Cierpice warned residents that nine pallets of pellet cost ≈ 16 000 zł in May 2026, up from ≈ 11 700 zł a year earlier, with peak prices exceeding 18 000 zł. Prices per ton now range from 1 700 zł to over 2 500 zł, while comparable German offers are about 500 zł cheaper. Residents have expressed anger on social media, labeling the increase “chronic” and fearing that “living here will become a luxury.”

At the same time, climate‑driven demand for air‑conditioning has exploded. Data from the Oferteo platform show a 341 % quarter‑on‑quarter jump in requests for AC installation in Q2 2026, overtaking ten of the fifteen largest Polish agglomerations. The surge has pushed heat‑pump service inquiries down 46.8 % in the same period, as consumers favour quick, lower‑cost split‑unit AC units over multi‑month heat‑pump projects. Marta Kaleta‑Domaradzka of Oferteo explained that the rapid rise in extreme‑heat forecasts has turned AC from a luxury into a “hygienic necessity.”