The Role of Agriculture and Rural Areas in the Development of Autonomous Energy Regions in Poland

Grzegorz Ślusarz, Barbara Gołębiewska, Marek Cierpiał-Wolan, Dariusz Twaróg, Jarosław Gołębiewski and Sebastian Wójcik
Additional contact information
Grzegorz Ślusarz: Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszów, M. Ćwiklińskiej Street 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland
Barbara Gołębiewska: Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska Street 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Marek Cierpiał-Wolan: Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszów, M. Ćwiklińskiej Street 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland
Dariusz Twaróg: Statistical Office in Rzeszów, Jana III Sobieskiego Street 10, 35-001 Rzeszów, Poland
Jarosław Gołębiewski: Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska Street 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Sebastian Wójcik: Institute of Mathematics, University of Rzeszów, Pigonia Street, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-21

Abstract: In many countries, energy security is treated as a priority for the coming decades, and at the same time energy production from the vast majority conventional energy sources does not meet environmental protection criteria. Hence, the need to use renewable energy sources (RES), which can largely satisfy energy needs. The aim of the study was to identify possibilities of creating autonomous energy regions (ARE) in Poland, based on renewable energy sources. Attention was paid to the role and significance of the potential of rural areas in this respect, taking into account the possibilities of increasing energy production from these sources in individual regions of Poland. The research was conducted on a regional level (division into voivodships) and on a local level (division into powiats, which form voivodships). When assessing the potential for constructing ARE based on RES, the following energy sources were taken into account: water, wind, sun, biogas and biomass. It was found that the highest RES potential versus energy consumption can be obtained in powiats where the share of arable land and forests exceeds 80%. The research showed that in most regions of Poland (powiats, voivodships), there is a large potential for obtaining additional energy from RES, which would cover over 73% of the country’s demand for electricity. This could be the basis for building energy independence on a local scale. The results of the study indicated that as many as seven regions would become self-sufficient in terms of electricity demand.

Keywords: regional potential; rural areas; renewable energy sources; autonomous energy regions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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