Abstract
Abstract The paper deals with the spatial diversification of energy crops and their concentration in the Polish agriculture. The analysis of changes in territorial patterns regarding those plantations involves natural factors, effects of urbanisation, and the level of absorption of European Union funds. The concentration of plantations is presented by means of local spatial correlations of energy crops; for the purposes of this research, local Moran’s statistic (Ii) has also been employed.
Highlights
A growing cost of energy is one of the factors which may influence the direction of agricultural development in the future
The aim of this paper is to present a geographical and agricultural study of the diversification of energy crops, those crops being a new element in the spatial structure of Polish agriculture
The first estimates of the area of energy-crop plantations in Poland employed in this research come from 2007, giving a total of 180 thous. ha, including as many as 173 thous. ha occupied by traditional crops used for energy purposes (Celińska 2009)
Summary
A growing cost of energy is one of the factors which may influence the direction of agricultural development in the future. The European and Polish economic policies presume that in a few years to come the area of energy-crop plantations will grow, which will be necessary to meet the targets for renewable energy production. An increase in their area may, but not necessarily, affect ecosystems adversely. It is highly essential to diversify energy crops Their plantations should be located in the vicinity of processing plants in order to reduce costs of biomass transportation. Farmers make decisions about production taking into account a range of conditions related to the climate, soil quality, structure of agricultural holdings, a production strategy, production profitability, and subsidies
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