1. Introduction
In recent years, most European countries, including Poland, have been increasing the share of green, clean energy in their energy mix. Rising electricity and natural gas prices, the increasing cost of CO2 emission allowances, and the growing crisis in the agricultural sector are placing investment planning for biogas and biomethane in a new perspective. Today, such investments appear not only necessary but even indispensable for the implementation of the energy transition, particularly in terms of reducing CO2 emissions, improving energy efficiency, and increasing energy diversification. Climate change is driving the search for renewable energy sources that are universally available and operate independently of weather conditions.
Anaerobic digestion is a biological process in which bacteria break down organic matter to produce biogas, a promising renewable energy source. Depending on the nature of the substrates used for biogas production, a distinction can be made between substrates from waste management (landfill biogas and biogas from anaerobic stabilization processes), from wastewater management (biogas from sewage sludge), and from manure, slurry, agricultural residues, energy crops, food waste, and by-products from the agri-food industry (agricultural biogas) [
1]. Biogas is a mixture primarily of methane (CH
4) and carbon dioxide (CO
2), with smaller amounts of hydrogen (H
2), hydrogen sulphide (H
2S), nitrogen (N
2), water vapour, and other gases [
2].
The composition of biogas depends on the type of substrates being digested. In anaerobic stabilization plants and in agricultural biogas, the methane content typically ranges from 40–75%, and 45–55% in landfill gas [
3,
4,
5]. According to the European Biogas Association (EBA), biogas and biomethane are among the key technologies supporting the EU’s path to carbon neutrality by 2050 [
6].
Currently, biogas is most often burned in combined heat and power (CHP) units to produce electricity and heat. In times of energy crisis, biogas becomes particularly valuable, as it can be upgraded to biomethane and injected into the natural gas grid. Current EU guidelines define biomethane as “purified biogas” [
7].
The present number of agricultural biogas plants in Poland (135 units;
Figure 1), with a total installed electrical capacity of just over 152 MW, contrasts sharply—and unfavourably—with, for example, the approximately 9500 biogas plants in Germany, which have a total installed capacity of about 9300 MW. It is worth noting that Poland has around 1.5 million hectares more agricultural land than Germany and a highly developed agri-food processing sector that generates significant amounts of bio-waste [
8].
Table 1 summarizes the production of agricultural biogas, electricity, and heat from agricultural biogas in Poland between 2011 and 2025. The gradual increase in energy recovery from agricultural biogas does not exhaust the potential available in Polish agriculture and the agri-food industry. In 2024, the main raw materials for biogas production in Poland were, in order: post-slaughter residues—20.17%, fruit and vegetable waste—16.13%, slurry—15.80%, waste from food processing—13.38%, other materials—11.47%, maize silage—7.64%, technological sludge from the agri-food industry—4.91%, waste from the dairy industry—4.46%, sugar beet pulp—3.75%, and expired food—2.29% [
9].
It is common practice to generalise the sources of biogas. For instance, Koryś [
10] identifies the following categories: agricultural waste (e.g., manure, plant residues), food industry waste (e.g., processing residues), sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, and municipal waste. In the context of Poland, ref. [
11] points to more specific sources, including cereal crops, maize, sorghum, whole oilseed crops and their marc, as well as organic waste from bioethanol production and the food industry. Permanent grassland has also been recognised as an important biomass source, particularly due to the low cost of obtaining the raw material.
Despite the growing body of research on biogas development in agricultural regions, a clear knowledge gap remains regarding areas with a weak agricultural profile, fragmented farm structures, and highly diversified biomass streams. In such regions, including the Lubuskie Voivodeship, the technical feasibility of agricultural biogas production is uncertain due to low livestock density, variability in crop yields, limited availability of plant substrates for energy purposes, and fluctuating quantities of biodegradable waste. These conditions make it difficult to determine whether biogas installations can be effectively supplied and operated throughout the year. Therefore, a detailed, region-specific assessment of feedstock availability and biogas potential is necessary to identify the real opportunities and constraints for biogas development in structurally non-agricultural areas.
This paper presents the characteristics of one of the Polish voivodeships with a predominantly non-agricultural structure in the context of opportunities for agricultural biogas production. The availability of substrates for biogas generation is discussed, including biodegradable waste and plant- and animal-based materials. Based on these data, the agricultural biogas production potential was estimated.
3. Results and Discussion
The variability in the availability and characteristics of feedstocks is influenced by spatiotemporal differences. Over the analysed period, the numbers of different types of livestock changed in varying ways (
Table 6). Significant increases were observed for cattle, whose population grew steadily, and for turkeys, which reached their highest numbers in recent years. A similarly positive, though less pronounced, trend was recorded for goats, where a slight increase followed a period of stagnation.
The opposite trend occurred in the pig population, which declined markedly—especially in the most recent years—and in the horse population, where an initial decrease was followed by stabilisation at a lower level. Certain animal groups exhibited considerable variability, including sheep. In the case of poultry and other birds, population instability is partly associated with outbreaks of avian influenza occurring in the voivodeship. The changes observed in the region appear to be consistent with national trends [
19,
24].
The highest energy potential is associated with cattle, for which the estimated amount of recoverable energy increased progressively over time. Although other animals—including pigs, poultry, sheep, ducks, horses, goats, and turkeys—also contribute to biogas production, their input is significantly smaller compared to that of cattle (
Figure 3).
The production of biogas from livestock manure is considered a highly promising method of managing organic waste in agriculture. This approach not only enables the generation of renewable energy, but also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, particular emphasis should be placed on several key aspects related to the efficiency of the methane fermentation process and the technologies used for manure collection and treatment [
25,
26,
27,
28,
29].
Cattle manure provides the highest and most stable energy potential, owing both to the large mass of manure produced and to the relatively high content of dry organic matter suitable for fermentation [
26,
30]. In the case of pigs, the production potential has been declining as the pig population decreases, which may reflect changes in rearing practices. Nonetheless, pig manure exhibits favourable parameters for fermentation, meaning that even relatively small quantities represent a valuable feedstock for biogas installations [
31,
32].
The variability observed in the poultry sector reflects its increasing importance. Although poultry manure has a lower dry matter content than cattle or pig manure, its large volume and relatively high organic matter content can still yield substantial energy potential. A major challenge for this sector is its vulnerability to avian influenza, which can necessitate the culling and disposal of entire flocks [
33].
The properties of plant biomass in the context of methanogenesis illustrate a complex relationship between lignocellulosic structure and fermentation potential. The proportion of hemicellulose relative to lignin and the extent to which nitrogen compounds can be effectively metabolised have a significant impact on biogas yields. For plant-based substrates, availability is strongly influenced by environmental factors—such as water supply and sunlight—to a much greater extent than for animal-derived substrates [
34].
The results of the analysis for the Lubuskie Voivodeship are presented in
Figure 4. Oilseeds, together with green maize, were identified as having the highest biogas potential. This trend highlights the growing significance of these feedstocks in biogas production, primarily due to their high fat content and ease of processing in biogas plants. Other crop groups, including total cereals, also show an upward trend, albeit with more variability.
Conversely, soft berries and tree fruit exhibit the lowest biogas potential. Their low methane yield can be attributed to two factors: first, these crops have a low dry matter content; and second, they show limited efficiency in methane fermentation. Although their biomass can be used for biogas production, their low organic matter content makes them less effective substrates compared with other plant materials.
For the purposes of this study, it was assumed that 15% of each crop’s yield is available as a substrate; however, actual availability varies widely. Moreda [
35] indicates that substrate availability may range from 5% to as much as 90%, depending on the feedstock.
The production of biogas from plant raw materials is one of the key components of sustainable energy management, providing a renewable energy source while enabling the utilisation of agricultural waste. Plant biomass is characterised by varying biogas yields due to differences in chemical composition, as highlighted by numerous authors [
36,
37]. The cultivation of crops for energy purposes allows for the maximisation of energy yield per unit area, although their suitability for methane fermentation depends on factors such as harvest date, cultivar, and dry matter and nutrient content. Additionally, the use of agricultural land for energy production raises ethical concerns, as it may compete with food production [
38,
39].
Cereals are among the most commonly used substrates for biogas production on agricultural land due to their high carbohydrate content and well-established cultivation technologies. Maize is the most widely used crop; however, staple cereals such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, and triticale can serve as attractive co-substrates or substitutes in regions unsuitable for maize cultivation [
40,
41,
42]. Cereal straw, although widely available, requires pre-treatment due to its high lignin content and unfavourable C:N ratio, yet it is a valuable substrate when co-digested with manure [
43,
44].
Legumes and oilseeds are gaining popularity as alternatives to maize, offering high calorific value and favourable environmental performance [
45]. Root crops, field vegetables, and fruit constitute a group of substrates with high levels of readily fermentable sugars; however, production losses for these crops tend to be relatively low [
46,
47].
Optimising biogas production often requires the co-digestion of different substrates to balance the fermentation mixture and increase yields. A common example is the combination of plant-based and animal-based materials, reflecting the local availability of these feedstocks in agricultural biogas plants [
41,
48].
Waste from the dairy and wood processing industries exhibits the highest technical biogas potential in both 2018 and 2026 (
Figure 5). A substantial increase in the contribution of most waste categories to the overall biogas potential is projected for 2026. Some types of industrial waste—such as waste from vegetable processing, wood processing, or the confectionery sector—display slightly lower but steadily increasing values. The evidence indicates a growing potential for biogas production from waste over the years, primarily due to an overall increase in the volume of waste generated in the Lubuskie Voivodeship.
Numerous authors have noted that agricultural and animal-processing wastes are viable substrates for biogas production, although their effectiveness depends on both their composition and the pretreatment applied [
49,
50]. Agricultural residues such as straw provide a stable source of organic matter but often require co-digestion with other substrates to balance the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio and optimise microbial activity. Manure, in turn, typically serves as a nitrogen-rich component that stabilises the fermentation mixture [
51]. Certain by-products of animal processing, such as blood or offal, contain high levels of protein, which leads to a rapid release of ammonia during digestion. This, in turn, inhibits methanogens unless these materials are diluted or co-digested with high-carbon substrates such as lignocellulosic waste [
52,
53].
By-products from vegetable processing and the dairy industry are highly biodegradable; however, their use poses logistical challenges. Vegetable waste (e.g., peels, trimmings) decomposes rapidly, leading to acidification if not counterbalanced by alkaline substrates such as livestock manure [
54,
55]. This is particularly important for local biogas plants, where feedstock origin, availability, and transport distance must be carefully considered to ensure stable operation [
55]. Dairy by-products such as whey contain low solids and exhibit an unfavourable C/N ratio, making them unsuitable as standalone substrates [
56,
57].
Wastes from the bakery, confectionery, and beverage industries are characterised by high energy density and therefore require precise management [
58]. Bakery wastes such as bread and dough may contain up to 70% carbohydrates, which undergo rapid hydrolysis. This can lead to an accumulation of volatile fatty acids, making pH control necessary through co-digestion with manure [
59].
The wood-processing and pulp industries generate substantial quantities of waste with high technical potential for biogas production. However, their high lignin content poses a major challenge for fermentation. Pretreatment can greatly enhance their usability [
60]. Sawdust and pulp sludge exhibit low biodegradability—typically below 30%—unless subjected to mechanical shredding or chemical treatment to facilitate lignin degradation. Their co-digestion with nitrogen-rich substrates (e.g., poultry litter) has been shown to effectively balance carbon and nitrogen ratios [
61,
62].
4. Conclusions
From a sustainability perspective, the utilisation of waste feedstocks for biogas production is an essential element of the circular economy. It reduces methane emissions arising from uncontrolled decomposition while simultaneously providing renewable energy and valuable organic fertiliser. A critical component of biogas production is the effective use of by-products generated during the fermentation process. Owing to their organic composition and chemical characteristics, these by-products can serve as high-quality organic fertilisers. Their application has the potential to substantially reduce dependence on synthetic fertilisers, thereby supporting environmental sustainability.
Rural areas are particularly well suited for biogas production due to the abundant availability of biomass, animal manure, and plant residues. As a result, agricultural enterprises in these regions can meet a significant proportion of their energy needs through biogas generation.
The Lubuskie Voivodeship is notable on a national scale for its extensive forest cover, which is largely attributable to the prevalence of poor podzolic soils. In terms of agricultural activity, the region is characterised by the dominance of industrial poultry farming, whereas crop production remains highly fragmented. In recent years, revenue from traditional farming and hunting has continued to decline. At the same time, emerging agricultural sectors—such as viticulture—have begun to gain increasing importance.
In assessing the biogas production potential of the Lubuskie Voivodeship, it is important to recognise that, despite its distinctive characteristics, the region demonstrates substantial promise. Feedstock availability fluctuates annually, and the degree to which local energy needs can be met is directly dependent on the utilisation of this energy potential. However, persistent uncertainties in the legal framework, together with the possibility of social conflict, continue to pose significant constraints to the full integration of biogas into the regional energy market.
The outlook for biogas remains favourable, particularly in light of recent technological developments and the advancement of sophisticated optimisation systems. Nevertheless, one of the key challenges associated with biogas production relates to the management of odour emissions. These emissions can cause nuisance for local communities and frequently give rise to social concerns.
Future development of agricultural biogas in the Lubuskie Voivodeship should focus on improving feedstock availability, optimizing collection systems for livestock manure, and increasing the use of locally produced biodegradable waste. Strengthening cooperation between farms, processing industries and municipalities could help overcome fragmentation and improve substrate logistics. Further technological advancements in co-digestion, odor mitigation and process optimization may enhance the efficiency and social acceptance of biogas plants. Clear and stable regulatory frameworks, together with financial incentives, remain essential to support investments and unlock the region’s full biogas potential.