Perspectives of Biodiesel Development in Poland against the Background of the European Union

Abstract

Biofuels are becoming more important in the renewable energy sources mix. Liquid biofuels are products of agriculture. Bioethanol can be prepared from corn, beetroot and other plants. Biodiesel is mainly made from rapeseed. This paper presents information about biodiesel development in Poland, as well as some background information about its development in the European Union (EU). We analyzed the data about biofuels in the literature, and provide statistical data about liquid biofuel in Poland and other countries of the EU. The aim of the study is to assess the viability of liquid biofuel development in Poland. The base for biodiesel production in Poland and the EU is rapeseed. The production yields and sown area of rapeseed increased in Poland from 2005–2020. This was due to integration and European Union policies which aim to supply clean energy. The energy mix in Poland differs from that of the EU. Solid biofuels have made up the biggest share of renewable energy sources in Poland (73.4%) and the EU (40.1%). Poland has smaller share of wind energy, biogas, heat pump, water energy, solar anergy, municipal waste and geothermal energy in its renewable energy sources compared to the rest of the EU. Only with solid and liquid biofuels is the share of renewable energy sources larger in Poland compared to the EU averages. Poland has decreased its share of solid biofuels and water energy among its renewable energy sources, while other sources have increased. Poland is investing to increase its renewable energy sources. To analyze the opportunities for biodiesel production in Poland, we used the scenario method of analysis. We outlined three scenarios. The first is increasing the production of biodiesel by 3% each year for the next three years. The second is production remains unchanged, i.e., at the 2020 level. The last scenario is decreasing production by 3% each year. According to the first scenario, the total demand for rapeseed for energy and food purposes will be 375 thousand tons in 2025. Such a scenario is very likely to occur because of the growing demand for biodiesel and edible oil. The current situation with Ukraine and the Russian Federation will create an increase in demand for rapeseed, leading to higher prices.

Determinants of Return-on-Equity (ROE) of Biogas Plants Operating in Poland

“…The profitability of biogas production in biogas plants decreases quickly if raw materials from outside the enterprise are more difficult to obtain; their price and logistical costs increase [45]. A similar relationship can be observed for other biofuels obtained from agricultural raw materials [46]. In biogas production, one can strive to reduce the cost of the raw material and increase the efficiency of biogas from the raw material by using organic waste where available [47,48].…”

Removal of metals and inorganics from rendered fat using polyamine-modified cellulose nanocrystals

“… 10 Currently, due to international socio-political considerations and the scarcity of natural gas, diesel has gained importance as a fuel source for the generation of electricity and heat. 11 …”

“…10 Currently, due to international socio-political considerations and the scarcity of natural gas, diesel has gained importance as a fuel source for the generation of electricity and heat. 11 The production of biodiesel from rendered materials typically involves the generation of fatty acid esters (trans-esterication) 12 from triglycerides by means of homogeneous, heterogeneous, or enzymatic catalysis. 1,13 Although various sources of triglycerides can be used to produce biodiesel, the diverse composition of the source material 14 (and the presence of free fatty acids) imposes great challenges in terms of compliance with the standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM B6751 for B100, and D7467 for B6 to B20).…”

Performance of the Polish Biofuel Industry after Accession to the European Union in the Area of Sustainable Development Concepts

“…Biodiesel production is an example of a renewable energy source, the aim of which is to reduce environmental pollution. The current situation in the global energy market is not stable because of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, global warming, and the depletion of fossil fuels [38]. Economic growth and living standards improvement can be realized by increasing demand for energy.…”

“…Biofuels can be divided into four generations [38,45]: First generation: These are mainly produced from agricultural products, for example, biodiesel from rapeseed and bioethanol from corn;…”