Biogas production in Poland—Current state, potential and perspectives

doi:10.1016/j.rser.2015.05.013

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

Volume 50, October 2015, Pages 686-695

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.05.013 Get rights and content

Abstract

A history and actually problems of polish energetics were presented. The location and power rating of biogas installations in Poland have been described. The technical potential of biogas in Poland from various substrates is as follows: 82 million m³ from municipal waste, 20 million m³ from sewage sludge, 1603 million m³ from animal droppings, 551 million m³ from maize and 254 million m³ from grass. In total, 39.44 PJ of energy could be obtained from biogas. Utilisation of biogas potential would result in meeting energy demand by 7.5%. In comparison to the coal energy sector in Poland, the biogas energy sector generates considerably lower external costs and also enjoys more support from local communities, the substrate resources for methane fermentation are available in every region of the country. Despite many challenges, power co-generation from biogas is becoming increasingly more significant in Poland. In recent years the number of agricultural biogas power plans has increased the most. The development of agricultural biogas power plants will, at least to some degree, reduce unemployment in rural areas, including the east of Poland.

Introduction

Considering the finite resources of fossil fuels, it is now assumed that after 2020 they will be gradually replaced by renewable resources, among which biogas obtained from agricultural substrates will hold a prominent position [1], [2], [3]. The exploitation costs of fossil fuels are rising as they have to be sourced from increasingly more challenging geological conditions. With every year communities are becoming more aware of environmental issues such as climate change and the greenhouse effect [4], [5]. There is also an increase in interest in renewable energy sources [6].

Distributed power generation, based on renewable energy sources, could provide energy service to meet needs of the whole of Poland at an appropriate level in a continuous and natural way. It is of particular importance when extensive power network failures in many regions result in increasingly more frequent interruptions in electricity supply [7]. This is where energy from renewable sources in Poland, especially from biogas combustion, could gradually replace already existing coal-based power plants as coal resources are limited and its exploitation costs are growing every year [8].

Section snippets

Poland’s energy sector—The history and current state

Wood used to be a basic energy resource in Poland as long as up to the middle of the 19th century. It was mainly used for heating, drying and preparing meals. In antiquity charcoal started being produced from wood and was used at that time as an energy source for smelting of iron in so called bloomeries (a type of a smelting furnace). By the end of the Middle Ages windmills and water mills, which were mostly used to grind grain, became more popular [9].

A vital breakthrough in terms of

The role of biogas in Polish energy sector—The current state

In Poland the substrates for biogas production are most often raw sludge and surplus activated sludge from sewage treatment plants, municipal waste (waste landfill sites) and food industry waste [17], [18], [19]. The construction of the first biogas plants in Poland started before World War II; biogas plants have been built on a larger scale since the second half of the 1990s. One of the first commercial biogas plants located at a sewage treatment plant was opened in 1998 in Inowrocław

Biogas potential in Poland

Over 250 biogas plants have been built in Poland during the last 15 years. Being an agricultural country, Poland has a huge biomass potential, which could be harnessed to produce biogas. The following could be used as substrates: municipal waste, sewage sludge, animal droppings, maize silage and grass [27], [28].

What is the future of biogas in the Polish energy sector?—Discussion

When considering the future of biogas in Polish energy sector, a comparison needs to be made between the amount of energy that could be obtained from biogas and the amount that is currently used from conventional sources.

Table 3 also represents the amount of energy that could be generated from biogas: It was assumed that:

•
biogas contains 55% of methane on average [43],
•
the calorific value of methane is 35.7 MJ/m³ [43],
•
the efficiency of energy production is 80%.

Looking at Table 3 it would be

Conclusions

Electric power and heat production from biogas constitutes a source of green, environmentally friendly energy. At the same time, the emission of methane, generated from the decomposition of unutilised biomass (animal droppings in particular), is limited. Constructing biogas plants results in a reduction of unemployment in the areas with the highest unemployment in Poland—these are the rural areas and the eastern part of the country.

Currently, the construction of agricultural biogas plants near

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Biogas production in Poland—Current state, potential and perspectives

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Poland’s energy sector—The history and current state

The role of biogas in Polish energy sector—The current state

Biogas potential in Poland

What is the future of biogas in the Polish energy sector?—Discussion

Conclusions

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Energy

Energy

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Energy Conserv Manage

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Ekoenergetyka—zagadnienia technologii, ochrony środowiska i ekonomiki

Blackout w rejonie Szczecina

Energetyka 10, październik

Agricultural biogas plants in Poland: investment process, economical and environmental aspects, biogas potential

Renew Sust Energ Rev

Energy sector of the world and Poland. Beginnings, development, present state

Oil empire. Visions of prosperity in Austrian Galicia

Wyzwania paliwowe, technologiczne i ekologiczne dla polskiej energetyki

Energetyka rozproszona

Bezpieczeństwo elektroenergetyczne w społeczeństwie postprzemysłowym na przykładzie Polski

Produkcja i wykorzystanie biogazu rolniczego