ENGINEERING FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT Jelgava, 20.-22.05.2015. 522 ENERGY CROPS IN POLISH AGRICULTURE BASED ON RESULTS OF AGRICULTURAL CENSUS OF 2010 Krystyna Kurowska 1 , Roman Rudnicki 2 1 University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland; 2 Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland krystyna.kurowska@uwm.edu.pl, rrudnicki@wp.pl Abstract. The article presents the spatial distribution of energy crops in the Polish farming sector in view of the results of the Agricultural Census of 2010. The total area dedicated to energy crops (154,000 ha) is divided into two categories: (1) total forest area occupied by trees and shrubs grown for biomass material (137,000 ha) and (2) total agricultural area occupied by energy crops (17,000 ha). The article discusses the results of research into the spatial distribution of energy crops in the Polish farming sector (across regions and counties), their share in total agricultural area (0.85 % on average, ranging from 0.3 % in the Region of Podlasie to 2.6 % in the Region of Kujawy and Pomorze) and structural variation. The influence of the natural factors affecting the distribution of energy crops was analyzed. Keywords: energy crops, renewable energy sources, rural areas. Introduction With the world population still growing the demand for food and energy sources is on the increase. The phenomena which hinder the development of civilisation and improvements in standards of life are gaining momentum. An important role here is played by both depletion of the natural sources which are not renewable and by rising costs of their production or extraction. The need for making decisions on the direction of developments in the power industry stems also from the current situation in the energy sector and from the measures undertaken by the European Union. The growth of the renewable energy sector is one of the EU priorities. According to the Directive 2009/28/EC [1] the Member States are to gradually increase the share of energy obtained from renewable energy sources in the total energy consumption and in the transportation sector. The authors of the document assume that by 2020 the consumption of energy from renewable sources will have reached 20 % of the overall balance of energy consumption in the EU [2]. It is also presumed that by that time energetic efficiency will have improved by 20 % and that the use of biofuels will have risen by up to 10 %. As far as Poland is concerned, by 2020 15 % of all energy consumption is supposed to have come from renewable energy sources. In the case of Poland, the use of biomass material of agricultural origin provides the best opportunities for obtaining renewable energy [3]. Sources of renewable energy are mainly to be found in rural areas. One of the arguments for optimisation of the use of agricultural land for energy production points to the fact that the lands of class V and VI, which have little agricultural value, occupy over 30 % of the agricultural acreage. At the same time, in agriculture of the developed countries an excessive production of agricultural material has been noted. As a result, profitability has decreased and incomes from agricultural activity have declined [4]. Thus, renewable energy sources are a possible solution for many farmers who wish to rationalise production. Agriculture and policy on power and energy constitute two closely-related elements. In the future energy crops may become strategic for agricultural production [5]. In fact, the significance of renewable energy in Poland is steadily on the upward movement. The authors of the accepted long- term strategy for the development of the energy sector broach the issue of how the potential production capacity of arable land may be taken advantage of in compliance with sustainable development principles pertaining to natural environment protection [6]. In practice, the market of agricultural biomass materials in Poland is in its cradle as, so far, the dominant position has been appropriated mainly by forest biomass. The aim is that agriculture, agriculture and food industry and municipal waste management sectors will be the major suppliers of biomass for energy provision. In Poland in 2009 solid biomass was the largest source of renewable energy (over 85 %), while its share in the European Union was below 50 % [7]. Although biomass has a substantial energetic potential on the national scale, it is dispersed [8]. The pace of progress in production of tools and equipment for the renewable energy sector and their agricultural use in different countries predominantly depend on state