Biogas production in the process of fermenting agricultural substrates as an element of the development of the national renewable energy sector

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17512/instal.2026.05.04

Keywords:

anaerobic co-fermentation, agricultural biogas plants, biogas, agro-food waste

Abstract

Biogas production through the co-digestion of agricultural substrates constitutes a key element in the development of the national renewable energy sector. The importance of biogas in the energy transition and in reducing greenhouse gas emissions depends on the extent to which agricultural waste and by-products are utilized. The aim of this paper is to analyze issues related to biogas production from the fermentation of agricultural substrates as a component of the development of the national renewable energy sector. The analysis covers commonly used substrates in biogas plants, the course of the co-digestion process, biogas production, and its applications. In addition, legal conditions governing the energy use of biogas are discussed. It has been demonstrated that further development of the sector requires both improvements in anaerobic co-digestion technologies and the systematic utilization of domestic feedstock potential. It was found that the type and properties of substrates determine the course of the anaerobic digestion process and its efficiency in terms of the intensity and stability of biogas production. It was also noted that the energy properties of biogas, as well as methods of its purification and utilization within existing energy infrastructure, determine the widespread implementation of this biofuel as a so-called “drop-in” fuel.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

S. Astals, D. J. Batstone, J. Mata-Alvarez, and P. D. Jensen, “Identification of synergistic impacts during anaerobic co-digestion of organic wastes,” Bioresour. Technol., vol. 169, pp. 421–427, Oct. 2014, doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.07.024.

R. Kadam, S. Jo, J. Lee, K. Khanthong, H. Jang, and J. Park, “A Review on the Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Livestock Manures in the Context of Sustainable Waste Management,” Energies (Basel)., vol. 17, no. 3, p. 546, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.3390/en17030546.

A. H. Ulukardesler, “Anaerobic co-digestion of grass and cow manure: kinetic and GHG calculations,” Sci. Rep., vol. 13, no. 1, p. 6320, Apr. 2023, doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-33169-0.

P. Weiland, “Biogas production: current state and perspectives,” Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., vol. 85, no. 4, pp. 849–860, Jan. 2010, doi: 10.1007/s00253-009-2246-7.

D. Mignogna, P. Ceci, C. Cafaro, G. Corazzi, and P. Avino, “Production of Biogas and Biomethane as Renewable Energy Sources: A Review,” Applied Sciences, vol. 13, no. 18, p. 10219, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.3390/app131810219.

P. Gupta, C. Kurien, and M. Mittal, “Biogas (a promising bioenergy source): A critical review on the potential of biogas as a sustainable energy source for gaseous fuelled spark ignition engines,” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, vol. 48, no. 21, pp. 7747–7769, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.11.195.

G. Ślusarz, D. Twaróg, B. Gołębiewska, M. Cierpiał-Wolan, J. Gołębiewski, and P. Plutecki, “The Role of Biogas Potential in Building the Energy Independence of the Three Seas Initiative Countries,” Energies (Basel)., vol. 16, no. 3, p. 1366, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.3390/en16031366.

P. Sulewski, E. Majewski, and A. Wąs, “MIEJSCE I ROLA ROLNICTWA W PRODUKCJI ENERGII ODNAWIALNEJ W POLSCE I UE,” Problems of Agricultural Economics, vol. 350, no. 1, pp. 50–74, Mar. 2017, doi: 10.5604/00441600.1234428.

Ł. Mamica, M. Mazur-Bubak, and R. Wróbel-Rotter, “Can Biogas Plants Become a Significant Part of the New Polish Energy Deal? Business Opportunities for Poland’s Biogas Industry,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 3, p. 1614, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.3390/su14031614.

J. Frankowski and W. Czekała, “Agricultural Plant Residues as Potential Co-Substrates for Biogas Production,” Energies (Basel)., vol. 16, no. 11, p. 4396, May 2023, doi: 10.3390/en16114396.

D. Hernández et al., “Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Agro-Industrial Waste Mixtures for Biogas Production: An Energetically Sustainable Solution,” Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 6, p. 2565, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.3390/su16062565.

A. Phillip, S. M. Bhatt, N. Sharma, and B. Poudel, “Enhanced Biogas Production Using Anaerobic Co-digestion of Animal Waste and Food Waste: A Review,” J. Sci. Res. Rep., vol. 30, no. 8, pp. 761–781, Aug. 2024, doi: 10.9734/jsrr/2024/v30i82297.

B. Dhungana, S. P. Lohani, and M. Marsolek, “Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Food Waste with Livestock Manure at Ambient Temperature: A Biogas Based Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 6, p. 3307, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.3390/su14063307.

M. K. Jameel et al., “Biogas: Production, properties, applications, economic and challenges: A review,” Results Chem., vol. 7, p. 101549, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.rechem.2024.101549

K. Pilarski, A. A. Pilarska, and M. B. Pietrzak, “Biogas Production in Agriculture: Technological, Environmental, and Socio-Economic Aspects,” Energies (Basel)., vol. 18, no. 21, p. 5844, Nov. 2025, doi: 10.3390/en18215844.

M. J. B. Kabeyi and O. A. Olanrewaju, “Biogas Production and Applications in the Sustainable Energy Transition,” Journal of Energy, vol. 2022, pp. 1–43, Jul. 2022, doi: 10.1155/2022/8750221.

G. Ma, P. Ndegwa, J. H. Harrison, and Y. Chen, “Methane yields during anaerobic co-digestion of animal manure with other feedstocks: A meta-analysis,” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 728, p. 138224, Aug. 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138224.

D. Janiszewska and L. Ossowska, “Possibilities of Producing Agricultural Biogas from Animal Manure in Poland,” Agriculture, vol. 16, no. 3, p. 301, Jan. 2026, doi: 10.3390/agriculture16030301.

M. M. Søndergaard, I. A. Fotidis, A. Kovalovszki, and I. Angelidaki, “Anaerobic Co-digestion of Agricultural Byproducts with Manure for Enhanced Biogas Production,” Energy & Fuels, vol. 29, no. 12, pp. 8088–8094, Dec. 2015, doi: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b02373.

I. M. Nasir, T. I. Mohd Ghazi, and R. Omar, “Anaerobic digestion technology in livestock manure treatment for biogas production: A review,” Eng. Life Sci., vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 258–269, Jun. 2012, doi: 10.1002/elsc.201100150.

M. Fujita, J. M. Scharer, and M. Moo-Young, “Effect of corn stover addition on the anaerobic digestion of swine manure,” Agricultural Wastes, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 177–184, Jul. 1980, doi: 10.1016/0141-4607(80)90014-1.

H. Wang et al., “Long-Term Mesophilic Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Swine Manure with Corn Stover and Microbial Community Analysis,” Microorganisms, vol. 8, no. 2, p. 188, Jan. 2020, doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8020188.

J. Mata-Alvarez, J. Dosta, S. Macé, and S. Astals, “Codigestion of solid wastes: A review of its uses and perspectives including modeling,” Crit. Rev. Biotechnol., vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 99–111, Jun. 2011, doi: 10.3109/07388551.2010.525496.

S. Jo, R. Kadam, H. Jang, D. Seo, and J. Park, “Elucidating Synergetic Effects of Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Slaughterhouse Waste with Livestock Manures,” Energies (Basel)., vol. 17, no. 12, p. 3027, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.3390/en17123027.

S.-Y. Pan, C.-Y. Tsai, C.-W. Liu, S.-W. Wang, H. Kim, and C. Fan, “Anaerobic co-digestion of agricultural wastes toward circular bioeconomy,” iScience, vol. 24, no. 7, p. 102704, Jul. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102704.

A. Rejman-Burzyńska, H. Maksymiak-Lach, E. Jędrysik, “Potencjał energetyczny biogazu – ocena zasobów surowcowych do produkcji biogazu w Polsce”, CHEMIK 2013, 67, 5, 446–453.

A. Ijaola et al., “Biogas Production, Upgrading, and Utilization: A Comprehensive Review,” Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 17, 2024, doi: 10.5455/jeas.2024010502.

H. Karne, U. Mahajan, U. Ketkar, A. Kohade, P. Khadilkar, and A. Mishra, “A review on biogas upgradation systems,” Mater. Today Proc., vol. 72, pp. 775–786, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2022.09.015.

B. Foret et al., “Biogas Upgrading into Renewable Natural Gas: Part II—An Assessment of Emerging Technologies,” Energies (Basel)., vol. 18, no. 21, p. 5760, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.3390/en18215760.

J. Holewa-Rataj and E. Kukulska-Zając, “Biogaz rolniczy w Polsce – produkcja i możliwości wykorzystania,” Nafta-Gaz, vol. 78, no. 12, pp. 872–877, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.18668/NG.2022.12.03.

I. Samson-Bręk and K. Biernat, “Możliwości wykorzystania biogazu rolniczego do produkcji paliwa silnikowego,” Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 79–90, Dec. 2009, doi: 10.21697/seb.2009.7.2.07.

A. Ogonowska and K. Maćkowiak, “Agricultural biogas in Poland: What you need to know in 2024.” (Dostęp 09 lutego 2026 r.). Dostępny w sieci: https://codozasady.pl/en/p/agricultural-biogas-in-poland-what-you-need-to-know-in-2024

R. Pytko and I. Hanas, “Where does the biogas market stand in Poland?” (Dostęp 09 lutego 2026 r.). Dostępny w sieci: https://codozasady.pl/en/p/where-does-the-biogas-market-stand-in-poland-

Komisja Europejska, „Komunikat Komisji do Parlamentu Europejskiego, Rady Europejskiej, Rady, Europejskiego Komitetu Ekonomiczno-Społecznego i Komitetu Regionów. REPowerEU: wspólne europejskie działania w kierunku bezpiecznej i zrównoważonej energii po przystępnej cenie”. (Dostęp 09 lutego 2026 r.). Dostępny w sieci: https://www.gov.pl/web/mniejszosci-narodowe-i-etniczne/komunikat-komisji-do-parlamentu-europejskiego-rady-europejskiego-komitetu-ekonomiczno-spolecznego-i-komitetu-regionow

A. Czarkowska and M. Czarkowski, “The use of biogas energy technology in the energy security system,” Zeszyty Naukowe Państwowej Wyższej Szkoły Zawodowej im. Witelona w Legnicy, vol. 4, no. 41, pp. 11–34, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.5604/01.3001.0015.7769.

B. Igliński, R. Buczkowski, A. Iglińska, M. Cichosz, G. Piechota, and W. Kujawski, “Agricultural biogas plants in Poland: Investment process, economical and environmental aspects, biogas potential,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 16, no. 7, pp. 4890–4900, Sep. 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.04.037.

W. Gostomczyk, “Rynek biogazu rolniczego w Polsce i wykorzystywane surowce w latach 2011-2014,” Zeszyty Naukowe SGGW w Warszawie - Problemy Rolnictwa Światowego, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 30–39, Sep. 2015, doi: 10.22630/PRS.2015.15.3.35.

K. Błażejewski, „Przegląd prawa rolnego”, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, 2010. (Dostęp 09 lutego 2026 r.). Dostępny w sieci: http://hdl.handle.net/10593/1322

Polish Council of Ministers, “Energy Policy of Poland Until 2040”, 2021. (Dostęp 09 lutego 2026 r.). Dostępny w sieci: https://www.gov.pl/web/climate/energy-policy-of-poland-until-2040-epp2040

A. Bednarek, A. Klepacka, and A. Siudek, “Development barriers of agricultural biogas plants in Poland,” Economics and Environment, vol. 84, no. 1, pp. 229–258, May 2023, doi: 10.34659/eis.2023.84.1.528.

“Rejestr wytwórców biogazu rolniczego. Stan na dzień: 02.02.2026 r. (Dostęp 09 luty 2026 r.). Dostępny w sieci: https://www.gov.pl/web/kowr/rejestr-wytworcow-biogazu-rolniczego”

A. Łukomska, J. Pulka, M. Broński, and J. Dach, “Demand-Driven Biogas Plants in Poland – Potential and Growth Perspectives,” Journal of Ecological Engineering, vol. 25, no. 11, pp. 236–248, Nov. 2024, doi: 10.12911/22998993/193262.

Downloads

Published

2026-05-20

How to Cite

Strzelecka, S., Zawieja, I., & Madeła, M. (2026). Biogas production in the process of fermenting agricultural substrates as an element of the development of the national renewable energy sector. Instal, 5, 39-45. https://doi.org/10.17512/instal.2026.05.04

Most read articles by the same author(s)