Energy obtained from renewable sources is an important element of the sustainable development strategy of the European Union and its member states. The aim of this research is, therefore, to assess the potential and use of renewable energy sources and their effectiveness from the regional perspective in Poland. The research covered the years 2012 and 2018. The diversification of production and potential of renewable energy sources was defined on the basis of biogas and biomass. Calculations made using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method showed that, in 2012, only three voivodeships achieved the highest efficiency in terms of the use of biogas and biomass resources; in 2018, this number increased to four. Comparing the effective units in 2012 and 2018, it can be seen that their efficiency frontier moved upwards by 56% in terms of biogas and 21% in terms of to biomass. Despite a large relative increase in the production of heat from biogas by 99% compared to the production of heat from biomass by 38%, the efficiency frontier for biogas did not change considerably. It was found that the resources of solid biomass are used far more intensively than the resources of biogas. However, in the case of biogas, a significant increase in the utilization of the production potential was observed: from 3.3% in 2012 to 6.4% in 2018, whereas in the same years, the utilization of solid biomass production potential remained at the same level (15.3% in 2012, 15.4% in 2018). It was also observed that, at the level of voivodeships, the utilization of biogas and biomass production potential is negatively correlated with the size of this potential. The combined potential of solid biomass and biogas can cover the demand of each of the studied regions in Poland in terms of thermal energy. The coverage ranges from 104% to 1402%. The results show that when comparing biomass and biogas, the production of both electricity and heat was dominated by solid biomass. Its high share occurred especially in voivodeships characterized by a high share of forest area and a low potential for biogas production (Lubuskie Voivodeship, Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship).

In many countries, energy security is treated as a priority for the coming decades, and at the same time energy production from the vast majority conventional energy sources does not meet environmental protection criteria. Hence, the need to use renewable energy sources (RES), which can largely satisfy energy needs. The aim of the study was to identify possibilities of creating autonomous energy regions (ARE) in Poland, based on renewable energy sources. Attention was paid to the role and significance of the potential of rural areas in this respect, taking into account the possibilities of increasing energy production from these sources in individual regions of Poland. The research was conducted on a regional level (division into voivodships) and on a local level (division into powiats, which form voivodships). When assessing the potential for constructing ARE based on RES, the following energy sources were taken into account: water, wind, sun, biogas and biomass. It was found that the highest RES potential versus energy consumption can be obtained in powiats where the share of arable land and forests exceeds 80%. The research showed that in most regions of Poland (powiats, voivodships), there is a large potential for obtaining additional energy from RES, which would cover over 73% of the country’s demand for electricity. This could be the basis for building energy independence on a local scale. The results of the study indicated that as many as seven regions would become self-sufficient in terms of electricity demand.

The values of the natural environment in the subject literature are commonly indicated as an asset conducive to development shaping the competitiveness of areas with such values. The paper attempts to assess the use of endogenous potential of such areas in shaping the multifunctional, sustainable development of rural areas that have such qualities. In particular, the aim was to check to what extent the sme sector, dominating in the economic structure of rural areas, solves the key problem of labour market imbalance and population migration in environmentally valuable areas. The area of detailed research is Podkarpacie, the Polish region considered as a peripheral, border region, the least urbanized region with the highest share of areas covered by various forms of nature protection and forestation, with one of the lowest gdp per capita indicator in the country. For the purpose of implementing the research assumptions, a taxonomic unit (using the complete linkage method) consisting of powiats with the highest concentration of features characteristic for rural areas of high natural values was separated. Synthetic indicators calculated on the basis of the Hellwig taxonomic development pattern method and a positional method using Weber's median were used to assess the diversity of entrepreneurship level. The research confirmed that the non-agricultural economic activity sector is less developed in areas of high natural value. Despite positive developments in the enterprise sector, their potential is too weak an economic base for addressing unsustainable labour market problems, as evidenced by high unemployment and a high negative migration balance. This limits the use of the endogenous potential of these areas and is not conducive to the concept of multifunctional, sustainable development. Migration poses a threat to the depopulation of these areas with all the negative consequences associated with such processes. This is a challenge for the studied areas and regional policy.

The study addresses the issue of investments related to wastewater management and water conservation in rural areas. The aim of the study was to assess the level of investment in the field of water and wastewater management in spatial terms. The scope of the research covered years 2005–2012. The data comes from the Central Statistical Office databases and publications, as well as available literature on the subject. It was revealed that expenditures on water supply and wastewater management in rural areas are covered mostly from environmental funds and funds from municipal budgets. In the case of sewage treatment plants and sewerage network, a significant share of the money came from EU funds.

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The purpose of this article is to assess the structural changes taking place in the agriculture of Podkarpacie. The main source of data used in the analysis was the results of the last two general agricultural censuses for the years 2010 and 2020. The area structure of farms, their average area and the structure of land use, which are important components of the agrarian structure of the region, were analyzed. On the basis of the indicators of structure and dynamics, an assessment was made of the changes taking place in relation to the production potential of farms and their consequences for the development of farms in the region. Research showed further worsening of the deagrarianisation processes in Podkarpacie and deepening of this negative trend the agriculture of the region. The decreasing number of farms does not translate into an improvement in the unfavorable area structure and average farm size. The fragmented structure of farms has been the main barrier to their development in competitive market conditions and the reason for the deteriorating position of agriculture in comparison with the rest of Poland. The economic weakness of small farms, which dominate the region, limits the possibility of using their potential, and thus the implementation of sustainable development. The radical decrease in the number of cattle and sheep is a particularly serious threat, especially in mountainous areas with a large potential for fodder from grasslands, the agricultural use of which allows many non-productive functions to be performed.

In the literature, the qualities of the natural environment are commonly indicated as a factor conducive to development. The main objective of the paper is an attempt to assess the development of the SME sector in valuable natural areas and its potential in shaping the socio-demographic processes of these areas, which are a kind of barometer for the development of a specific territory. The research covered five districts of the Podkarpacie region with the largest share of areas covered by various forms of nature protection – over 60%. These districts include: Bieszczadzki – 100%, Leski – 98.2%, Sanocki – 82.5%, Przemyski – 70.7%, Krośnienski – 63.4%. The comparative analysis covered the years 2013-2017. The research shown that theoretical advantages resulting from possessing valuable natural resources do not translate into the development of economic functions. Despite the high rate of enterprises per 10,000 inhabitants, their potential is too weak impetus for economic development (entities employing up to 10 persons dominate, of which a large part is made up of self-employed, economically weak firms). This results in a low attractiveness to live in these areas and unfavourable demographic processes.

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