Biogas Production in Zabrze: Closing the Cycle of Organic Waste

Both energy security and the demand for energy, particularly from renewable energy sources, as principle drivers, call for the investigation of renewable energy potential in Poland. The city of Zabrze, located in the Upper Silesia province and urban zone of Katowice, dedicates continuous efforts to the improvement of its waste management against the background of European Union Directives requiring the increased reuse and recycling of waste and the gradual reduction of waste being landfilled. Biogas production presents a rewarding solution by using organic waste as resource for energy production and thereby closing the loop in the life-cycle attached to organic products. This pre-feasibility study explores the potential for biogas production from pig manure and organic household waste, taking into account the prevailing local conditions in Zabrze. From a thorough data analysis, field study visits in the vicinity of Lund in Sweden and in Zabrze and adjoining communities, as well as multiple stakeholder interviews, the feasibility of a 350 kW biogas plant fed by municipal organic household waste and a base load of pig manure, with an electricity generation potential of 2.9 GWhe per year, is deduced. The report concludes that the technical implementation will need to be accompanied, in addition to continuous public awareness raising and educational endeavours, by economic measures and a supportive legal framework, both of which need to be clearly defined for a medium to long term period to allow for predictability on behalf of potential interested operators and businesses