Abstract
This paper presents the analysis and evaluation of biogas power plant capacity in Poland based on the generic structure and energy production. These issues are also presented from the point of view of the obtained energy and biogas energy production in Poland against selected European Union countries. The paper also indicates a significant diversity in the spatial distribution of biogas plants in Poland. It also discusses the importance of biogas plants as one of the elements of bottom-up development of the second tier administrative units. There are 231 biogas power plants in Poland (as of 2013), which are based on biogas from landfill sites, biogas from wastewater treatment plants, and agricultural biogas. The generic structure of biogas power plants in Poland is dominated by power plants based on biogas from landfill. Despite the fact that Poland has large resources of agricultural substrate, there are very few biogas power plants based on agricultural biogas. There are no biogas power plants in almost 60% of poviats in Poland, despite the fact that every poviat in Poland has enough of this substrate at its disposal. This article contributes innovative elements to existing knowledge on biogas power plants in Poland, thanks to its comprehensive treatment of the problem of biogas power plants in Poland and because it urges local authorities and local communities to behave more ecologically, as well as promoting endogenous factors of the economic development of a given region.
Highlights
The modern world is facing a huge energy crisis associated with the depletion of conventional energy resources
There has been a considerable development of biogas plants in Poland, but this sector is still relatively small
Explanation: A—percentage of the national population in individual voivodeships; I—power plants based on biogas from landfills; II—power plants based on biogas from wastewater treatment plants; III—power plants based on agricultural biogas; 1—number of power plants; 2—installed capacity (MW)
Summary
The modern world is facing a huge energy crisis associated with the depletion of conventional energy resources. This article is an attempt to fill this gap and to contribute innovative elements to existing knowledge on biogas power plants in Poland, both with respect to a comprehensive treatment of the problem of biogas power plants in Poland and encouraging ecological behavior of local authorities and local communities, as well as promoting endogenous factors of the economic development of a given region. The study is based on the primary data for the period 2003–2013, mainly from the Energy Regulatory Office (Urzad Regulacji Energetyki—URE [45]) It contains the number of biogas plants, their maximum installed capacity in MW, generic structure, and location by poviat (urban and rural). From the methodological point of view we should define the expressions used in the paper: installed capacity of a biogas power plant, energy production from biogas, energy obtained from biogas, primary energy, derived energy, transformation input, and final consumption. Final consumption is the use of energy by consumers (industry, services, households) to meet their technological, production, and living needs, and it does not include processing into other carriers [48]
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