Energy for the farmer
Energy on the farm - renewable and non-renewable energy sources
Why do you need energy sources and storage facilities on your farm?
This is likely because farms have a high demand for electricity and heat. Or they have organic material at their disposal that is worth managing or whose disposal is expensive. Or perhaps it's a matter of new regulations that may soon come into effect.
Regardless, the energy situation of a farm or company is always worth analyzing. Given current energy prices and renewable energy installation costs, these investments offer very attractive rates of return. Furthermore, there are subsidies, subsidies, and loans on preferential terms, which further improve the financial results of renewable energy investments.
Renewable energy sources will help you reduce your bills by up to 90%!
What should you pay attention to when planning an agroenergy system?
Before we start thinking about renewable energy sources, it's worth taking a closer look at your electricity bills and how they change from month to month, which appliances have the highest power output, and whether they can be operated at different times. The answers to these questions will be crucial for analyzing changes in electricity tariffs, energy suppliers, and installing your own renewable energy sources.
The second very important factor is heating, i.e., the way buildings, spaces, and process heat (e.g., for drying, cooling, or pasteurization) are heated. This can be achieved by:
- fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, less frequently crude oil and its processing products),
- renewable fuels (biomass, biogas, hydrogen),
- geothermal energy (depending on local conditions),
- electricity (produced from renewable sources or from the network – heat pumps),
- connection to the heating network (only for room heating).
Two main areas have already been mentioned (electricity and heat), but there's a third, very significant area of energy expenditure on farms. This is, of course, transportation. While there are currently few cost-effective alternatives to gasoline and diesel engines, it's worth noting that this field is developing rapidly. The first tractor models running on liquefied biomethane (bioLNG), compressed biomethane (bioCNG), and hydrogen are already available.
Energy technologies for the farm - what to consider
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaics are the easiest way to become a prosumer. The topic is very common, but that's because solar energy is readily available, easily scalable, and inexpensive to install. All you need is a piece of land or a roof and a power connection. The downside of photovoltaics is the high dependence of the energy produced on weather conditions, and in many places, grid operators have enough of it. Nevertheless, it's worth exploring the offer, as a solar power plant is still a great investment, and small installations are still safe from forced outages. You also have access to attractive cost reimbursements from the "Mój prąd" (My Electricity) program.
Energy storage
Energy storage plays an important role in households and farms: it improves energy independence and significantly reduces electricity costs by storing energy from renewable sources, which are dependent on weather conditions. Therefore, it works very well with a small wind turbine and photovoltaics, and a well-matched source and storage unit will ensure free energy most of the year. Storage facilities also qualify for subsidies from the My Electricity program, and they are more subsidized than other solutions.
Heat pump
Devices that convert electricity into heat with exceptional efficiency. This means that heating your home requires, for example, 15-30% more electrical power than with standard electric heating. This also means that a heat pump has a significant impact on your bills. It is completely maintenance-free, clean, requires no fuel, and keeps your home cool in the summer. Subsidies for heat pumps are available under the Clean Air program.
Photovoltaic farm
Photovoltaic farms remain a very attractive investment option in the renewable energy sector. Thanks to the growing demand for green energy, regulatory support, and low investment costs, PV farms have become very profitable.
A key advantage of photovoltaic farms is predictability – both in terms of energy production and revenue. Modern PV systems are virtually maintenance-free and have a lifespan of 25–30 years. Landowners, in turn, can count on predictable rental income.
This is the perfect proposition for investors looking for safe, long-term assets generating stable cash flow while contributing to the country's energy transformation.
Biogas plant
Depending on the method of biogas utilization, it can be a biogas heating plant or a biomethane plant, but by far the most common is the biogas CHP plant, often simply called a biogas plant. In large fermentation tanks (reactors), biogas is produced from organic raw materials (which can be of plant or animal origin from agricultural production). Biogas is then processed into biomethane or purified of hydrogen sulfide and burned in a cogeneration plant. Cogeneration is a method of simultaneously generating electricity and heat, achieving high efficiency. Waste processing and generating stable renewable energy are crucial aspects of economic development, therefore these installations are very heavily subsidized, There are many programs that enable the construction of biogas plants on very favorable terms, including Energy for Rural Areas and the FENIKS program. Furthermore, electricity produced from biogas has the highest selling price for electricity to the grid, making these investments the fastest payback of all. The biogas plant does not emit any unpleasant odors!
Home cogeneration
Due to the growing need for energy independence and rising energy prices, a device that perfectly meets the needs of many prosumers is a cogenerator. Although few devices are suitable for such applications and are affordable, interest in this technology has recently been growing. This stems from the need to generate electricity and heat when we, as consumers, actually need it. Depending on the cogenerator, this can be natural gas, coal, or heating oil, while, sticking with renewable energy sources, it can also be biogas, biomass, or hydrogen. Therefore, cogeneration on a farm can be based on both renewable and non-renewable fuels.
Hydrogen installations
Hydrogen is considered the future of energy and transportation. It is the second lightest fuel per unit of energy. Only nuclear fuel has a higher density per unit of mass. Hydrogen is crucial for the development of the energy sector, as it allows for the storage of very large amounts of energy, and can be used in road transport, power generation, heating, and chemical engineering. Importantly, hydrogen production and consumption do not produce greenhouse gas emissions, so they do not contribute to climate change. It is also harmless to the environment or people, which is why it is being considered for use in cities. Thanks to hydrogen, you can not only reduce your energy bills but also reduce your expenses on diesel fuel and gasoline. But to be clear: Hydrogen installations are a profitable investment, but only under certain conditions. Which ones? Check below!
Summary
The energy generation structure in Poland must be diversified to prevent a situation in which a raw material or primary energy source (e.g., wind) becomes depleted or experiences a temporary interruption in supply. Energy companies must ensure continuity of supply, as energy consumption is also continuous, albeit highly variable. For environmental reasons, the share of renewable energy in the system continues to grow. At a time when the energy sector requires urgent transformation, all consumers are facing rising electricity bills due to the economy's high emissions. Therefore, it's worth investing in your own energy sources, preferably renewable ones, which will reduce our energy costs and gradually displace conventional energy sources, thus reducing emissions. Energy storage, on the other hand, will ensure energy availability during periods of insufficient renewable energy production. Take advantage of subsidies for affordable energy, remain independent, and all of Poland will benefit, as the surplus fed into the grid is cheaper than energy from hard coal or lignite.