Maize has great potential, especially as a substrate for biofuels production. The aim of this paper is to analyze the possibility of usage in methane fermentation maize straw harvested in different weather conditions, which had an influence on different physical parameters, mainly the dry mass content. The research has shown that maize straw harvested in Central-Eastern Europe can have a broad spectrum of dry mass content, which is related to diverse weather conditions during autumn. However, independently from moisture content, maize straw can be a good (for more wet material) or very good (for more dried straw) substrate for the biogas plant. With the methane productivity reaching 201–207 m³/Mg of fresh mass, this material is a significantly better substrate than that typically used in Europe maize silage (approximately 105 m³/Mg FM). It was noted that the retention time for maize straw (36–42 days) is longer than in the case of maize silage (less than 30 days). However, this difference is quite small and can be accepted by the biogas plant operators.

The amendment to the Polish Renewable Energy Act creates great opportunities for the development of the biogas market in Poland. Years of experience in biogas production in Western Europe and the development of biogas installations in Poland indicate the requirement to look for alternative...

The recent increase in fish production has resulted in the accumulation of fish pond sediment. This sediment accumulates over time and can lead to a reduction in the depth of ponds and in the living space available for fish, it may also lead to a depletion in dissolved oxygen. Therefore, the...

Digestate from a biogas plant can be a valuable organic and mineral fertilizer. Quantitative proportions of co-substrates used in three agricultural biogas plants in Poland were analyzed. The composition of digestates was examined and large differences in the content of macronutrients were found,...

The aim of the study is to draw attention to the fact that reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions as a result of traditional manure storage for several months in a pile is not only a non-ecological solution, but also unprofitable. A solution that combines both aspects—environmental and financial—is the use of manure as a substrate for a biogas plant, but immediately—directly after its removal from the dairy barn. As part of the case study, the energy and economic balance of a model farm with dairy farming for the scenario without biogas plant and with a biogas plant using manure as the main substrate in methane fermentation processes was also performed. Research data on the average emission of ammonia and nitrous oxide from 1 Mg of stored manure as well as the results of laboratory tests on the yield of biogas from dairy cows manure were obtained on the basis of samples taken from the farm being a case study. The use of a biogas installation would allow the emission of carbon dioxide equivalent to be reduced by up to 100 Mg per year. In addition, it has been shown that the estimated payback period for biogas installations is less than 5 years, and with the current trend of increasing energy prices, it may be even shorter—up to 4 years.