*3.4. The Course of the Research Process*

## 3.4.1. Stage "0"

Along with the approximation of the natural conditions (insolation conditions in Poland—Figures 3 and 11a) and market conditions (the course of the variability of power demand in the National Power System—Figure 11b), the general characteristics of electricity consumption in the analyzed enterprises were outlined throughout the entire period of the obtained data. For this purpose, the variability courses of the analyzed variables were determined (Figures 4–11).

The course of the research process is described by a schematic and conceptual flowchart (Figure 12).

**Figure 12.** Schematic and conceptual flowchart of the research process. Source: own study.

The analyses in the next part were carried out by dividing them into the period before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland and in the pandemic period. In the beginning, descriptive statistics of the analyzed variables (in pre-pandemic and pandemic periods) were determined using the "stats" library of the RStudio environment and presented in tabular form (Tables 1 and 2).

**Table 1.** Descriptive statistics of the analyzed variables for analyzed research objects and insolation and loads of power systems before the COVID-19 pandemic period.


Source: own study.

**Table 2.** Descriptive statistics of the analyzed variables for analyzed research objects and insolation and loads of power systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Source: own study.
