Development barriers of agricultural biogas plants in Poland

Abstract

The article aims to identify barriers related to developing agricultural biogas plants in Poland. The secondary data was supplemented by primary data from a questionnaire conducted among employees of an enterprise whose biogas production is one of the elements of the circular economy. The results of the research revealed that the majority of respondents indicated external, systemic and developmental obstacles. The largest percentage of responses concerned the lack of stable legal regulations in the scope of renewable energy sources, including biogas plants, and the lack of programs financing the construction of agricultural biogas plants. Moreover, the respondents pointed to the proposals that could improve the development of agricultural biogas plants in the future. The respondents considered updating and ensuring the profitability of investments in the situation of significantly higher expenditures, growing costs of business and debt servicing through the reference price as a significant motivator, as well as inclusion in the support system of tariffs guaranteeing a stable income for at least 15 years. Barriers to developing agricultural biogas plants in Poland remain unchanged, and the awareness of the positive impact of agricultural biogas plants on many levels is still very low.