Renewable energy output isn't always constant. To talk about how things fluctuate based on outside factors, Polish uses the compound preposition w zależności od (depending on).
| depending on | w zależności od |
Because this phrase ends with the preposition od (from/of), the noun or noun phrase that follows it must always take the Genitive case.
Let's look at how the amount of renewable energy changes based on the weather. Notice how the nominative noun pogoda (weather) changes to its Genitive form, pogody:
| The amount of renewable energy varies depending on the weather. | Ilość energii odnawialnej jest różna w zależności od pogody. |
Solar and Wind Variability
When discussing specific energy sources, you will often talk about how much they yield. A key word for this is efficiency or productivity:
| efficiency (productivity, yield) | wydajność |
For solar power, efficiency relies heavily on sunlight (nasłonecznienie). In the Genitive case, this neuter noun takes the -a ending, becoming nasłonecznienia.
| Every solar panel operates differently depending on the sunlight. | Każdy panel słoneczny działa inaczej w zależności od nasłonecznienia. |
For wind power, a wind farm (farma wiatrowa) depends on the wind. The masculine inanimate noun wiatr (wind) takes the -u ending in the Genitive case, becoming wiatru.
| A wind farm produces a different amount of energy depending on the wind. | Farma wiatrowa wytwarza różną ilość energii w zależności od wiatru. |
Finally, when talking about general weather conditions (warunki), you will need the plural Genitive form. For this noun, that means adding the -ów ending to make warunków.
| The efficiency of the turbines on the farm differs depending on the conditions. | Wydajność turbin na farmie różni się w zależności od warunków. |