Production of agricultural biogas from waste – an element of socially responsible actions in the food sector

Natalia Iwaszczuk,Marta Szyba,Valentyna Yakubiv,Aleksander Iwaszczuk

doi:10.32933/actainnovations.33.5

Abstract

The agricultural and food sector accounts for substantial volumes of organic waste (such as livestock excreta, meat offals) considered as onerous on the environment. The above decomposes formulating methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide in anaerobic conditions. Methane produced in digester chambers of a biomass plant (called biogas) may be applied for the production of electricity and heat, powering of vehicles as well as injections into gas networks. Biogas is one of the renewable sources of energy. In the light of the EU's sustainable development and climate neutrality policies, increasing the share of renewable sources in overall energy consumption is a priority for the Member States. For this reason, the article examines one of the renewable energy sectors in Poland, which is agricultural biogas production. The main attention was focused on agricultural biogas plants. Most often used substrates for biogas production, the dependence of biogas plant location on the population living in particular regions (voivodships) and the development of agriculture in their territories were analysed. The main purpose of the article was to indicate the reasons for the failure of the agricultural biogas plant construction program in Poland. Literature and document analysis were performed, interviews with waste producers as well as owners of agricultural biogas plants were carried out, and SWOT analysis was prepared.

Highlights

Statement that „decisions and actions undertaken by an organization always have an impact on the environment, regardless of the location of a given organization
The Act on Renewable Energy Sources [6] defines agricultural biogas as „fuel generated in the process of methane fermentation from agricultural raw materials, agricultural by-products, liquid or solid livestock effluents, by-products or residues from the processing of products of agricultural origin or forest biomass, with the exclusion of gas obtained from the raw materials generated by water treatment plants and landfills ”
The designated goal was achieved within the article through conducting a critical analysis of the subject literature as well as statistical data gathered from the National Support Centre for Agriculture (NSCA), Towarowa Giełda Energii (TGE) and Central Statistical Office (CSO)

Summary

Introduction

Statement that „decisions and actions undertaken by an organization always have an impact on the environment, regardless of the location of a given organization. The Act on Renewable Energy Sources (from 20 February 2015) [6] defines agricultural biogas as „fuel generated in the process of methane fermentation from agricultural raw materials, agricultural by-products, liquid or solid livestock effluents, by-products or residues from the processing of products of agricultural origin or forest biomass, with the exclusion of gas obtained from the raw materials generated by water treatment plants and landfills ”. The substrates, as a result of the process of methane fermentation, are transformed into biogas (blend of: methane 40-85%, carbon dioxide 1648% and nitrogen 0,6-7,5%) as well as digestate [8]. The obtained biogas, upon prior elimination of hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and water vapor, is most frequently combusted in cogenerators as a result of which electricity and thermal energy are produced. The byproduct released in the course of biogas production from agricultural and food waste is digestate which, post drying and sterilizing, may be used as a high quality organic fertilizer

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