Poland has significant yet still untapped potential in biogas and biomethane production. As experts point out, the growing demand for natural gas in the power and heating sectors is a signal that the country should accelerate the development of biogas and biomethane installations. Doing so would, on one hand, reduce dependence on natural gas imports and, on the other, provide a stable, weather-independent, and controllable source of energy. Both factors are critical for ensuring energy security.
“Poland is going to need more gas—that’s clear from all analyses. We’re building gas-fired power and heat plants, and district heating systems in major cities are being modernized toward gas installations. Biogas and biomethane are tools that will increase our energy security and reduce emissions from our electricity and heat production sources. In the future, they should play a greater role in our energy mix than they do today,” says Wojciech Dąbrowski, president of the SET Foundation and former president of PGE Group, in an interview with Newseria.
Biogas is a mixture of gases produced through anaerobic digestion of biomass, such as agricultural and municipal waste or sewage sludge. It is commonly used for combined heat and power (CHP) generation. Biomethane is purified biogas that requires additional processing—it can be injected into the gas grid, used in transportation, or stored.
According to the updated draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) published in July, the technical potential for producing biomethane from waste-based substrates in Poland is estimated at 8 billion cubic meters (m³). However, realistic investment potential in municipalities with the highest concentration of waste resources is roughly 3.2 billion m³. The NECP sets a target of reaching 1.5 billion m³ of domestic biomethane production by 2030, and 3.9 billion m³ by 2040. In the long term, the goal is for Poland to meet its gas fuel demand through domestically sourced biomethane and natural gas.
Data from the Union of Employers and Producers of the Biogas and Biomethane Industry shows that 150 million tons of bio-waste generated each year by agriculture, livestock, and the agri-food industry could yield nearly 5 billion m³ of biomethane—equivalent to over a quarter of Poland’s current gas consumption.
Biomethane has been formally recognized by the European Commission as equivalent to natural gas. Under the EU’s REPowerEU plan, biomethane production is expected to rise from 3.5 billion m³ to 35 billion m³ by 2030. Poland has an opportunity to be one of the beneficiaries of this trend if it accelerates project deployment and streamlines permitting processes. Currently, there is only one biomethane installation in operation in Poland, but several dozen new projects are under development.
“Biomethane is a domestic gas source that allows us to become independent not only from imports from the East, as before, but from all gas imports, which are always more expensive and less secure geopolitically or strategically,” emphasizes Artur Zawisza, president of the Union of Employers and Producers of the Biogas and Biomethane Industry.
Experts highlight that this has significant implications for energy security.
“Biogas and biomethane can be controlled, meaning they are dispatchable energy sources in the power system, helping stabilize the grid. Compared to intermittent renewables like wind or solar, biogas CHP units are a treasure for the electricity sector,” says Zawisza.
“Biogas is an extremely stable source because it does not depend on weather, wind, or sunlight—it can provide power continuously,” adds Wojciech Dąbrowski.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, biogas plants can operate for up to 8,000 hours per year—around 90% of the time—compared to other renewables with capacity factors ranging from 10% to 32%.
The Ministry also reports growing interest in agricultural biogas plants, especially among livestock farms. Data from the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR) shows that there are already over 190 such installations in rural areas.
“Biogas is still somewhat overlooked. There’s a lack of stable regulation that would give investors the confidence to move in this direction. Biogas has many advantages—it can be transported, and once purified, it can be injected directly into the gas system. Biogas plants are located near producers who need it, and we have vast amounts of substrates that can be converted into biogas. This is a fuel that supports environmental protection and strengthens the circular economy. Its value is huge—and currently undervalued,” says Dąbrowski.
Biogas facilities also contribute to agricultural transformation by enabling bio-waste processing and lowering the carbon footprint of Polish food. These solutions are increasingly valued by commercial networks that promote products from decarbonized production processes.
“By processing bio-waste, we reduce harmful emissions, including lowering the carbon footprint of food production. Polish food will be particularly attractive in European and global markets if it’s carbon-neutral. Retail chains operating in our country are already demanding low-carbon, healthy food. Only by decarbonizing food production through biogas and biomethane plants can we drive this transformation,” adds Zawisza.
“In the end, it’s about economics—we need to ensure electricity and heat remain affordable for our customers,” concludes the SET Foundation president.
