Polish refineries are working to produce more fuels with "biocomponents" in order to comply with environmental regulations.


Under a law that took effect last year, Polish fuel producers must add environment-friendly components to gasoline and diesel fuel. These biocomponents must account for at least 3.45 percent of each liter of gasoline or diesel fuel. The Polish Technology Platform for Biofuels and Biocomponents (PPTBB), established in 2006, aims to spur research into biofuel production technologies.

This year fuel producers in Poland plan to sell about 200,000 metric tons of bioethanol and about 300,000 tons of esters in order to bring their products into compliance. Last year, biocomponent sales in Poland did not exceed 100,000 tons.

Four refineries produce esters in Poland: PKN Orlen's Trzebinia Refinery in Małopolska province, Elstar Oils in Malbork in Pomerania province, Bioetanol in Ińsko in West Pomerania province, and Solvent Wistol in Oświęcim in Małopolska province. Generally, the biofuel market has a bright future, experts say, but not all kinds of biofuel have an equally good chance of market success.

Fuel from peanuts and vodka

About one hundred years ago, German engineer Rudolf Diesel used peanut oil to power his first engine. In 1920, Henry Ford used ethanol-also called ethyl alcohol or grain (drinking) alcohol-to power automobiles. In 1929, a 30/70 blend of alcohol and gasoline began to be produced in Poland, but was driven out of the market by petroleum-based gasoline, which was cheaper.

Today, biofuels and biocomponents are making a comeback. Poland, like other European countries, is obligated to cut its carbon dioxide emissions and gradually switch its transport system to environment-friendly fuels. This task is feasible because Poland has enough raw materials to produce biofuel.

Biofuels and biofuel mixtures are now less expensive to produce and consequently cheaper than just 10 years ago. They are also more environment-friendly than conventional fuels, and their use in engines and boilers is both economical and safe. Moreover, the use of biofuels reduces demand for conventional gasoline and fuel blends, which make the country less dependent on imported energy and reduce the maintenance costs of engines and heating facilities.

But the biofuel market is far from simple. Biofuels and biofuel blends are only beginning to be profitable in transport now that the prices of both liquid and gaseous fuels are growing rapidly. Biodiesel and bioethanol are far more expensive to produce than conventional fuels. EU analyses show that biofuel production starts to be profitable if the price of oil exceeds $75 per barrel. Experts say production of biofuels would be even more profitable if these fuels were subject to preferential excise tax rates, lower than in the case of gasoline and petroleum-derived products.

Biofuel production creates new jobs in farming and the manufacturing sector. EU data shows that 12 to 14 people are needed on average to produce 1,000 tons of biofuels.

The biofuel coalition

The Polish Technology Platform for Biofuels and Biocomponents (PPTBB) aims to promote, coordinate and develop new technologies for the production of biofuel. The organization was established on March 16, 2006 as the first organization of its kind in Europe. The European Technology Platform for Biofuels was set up two months later. The PPTBB Steering Committee is chaired by Prof. Andrzej Kulczycki. The platform's Polish experts are members of European Working Groups that deal with issues related to biofuels and fuel biocomponents.

The main tasks of the PPTBB include developing and monitoring the Polish biofuel market and developing and implementing technologies for the production of biofuel. This is no simple matter because the market is full of both first- and second-generation biofuels and biocomponents, with research into third-generation products under way in the United States and the EU.

First-generation biofuels are mainly produced from grain, beets and oil plants through the estrification of oil waste, and they are also made from landfill biogas. The production process is relatively simple, which is an advantage. In line with EU requirements, by 2010 biofuels must account for at least 10 percent of the European fuel market. While Europe should have enough rapeseed, corn and palm oil to meet this target, PPTBB coordinator Dr. Krzysztof Biernat says first-generation biofuels leave much to be desired. His "well-to-wheel" (WTW) study analyzes carbon dioxide emissions at all stages of the process, including crop cultivation, fertilizer production and use, maintenance of farming machinery and facilities, transportation, processing and combustion. The study assesses carbon dioxide emissions throughout the WTW process and compares it with the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed during the photosynthesis process by crops used for the production of biofuels. Biernat concludes that the first-generation biofuels currently in use do not live up to expectations in terms of profitability, which explains why the EU is gradually withdrawing from their production. The European Commission has pointed out that food prices may rise substantially if the EU goes ahead with its plan to introduce a requirement under which biocomponents would have to account for at least 14 percent of fuel content by volume. The European Commission expects that the price of grain would go up by at least 6 percent if the plan were carried out, with rapeseed rising by 13 percent, and soy soaring by 54 percent.

Second-generation biofuels are more promising. The Polish Technology Platform for Biofuels and Biocomponents is working on a technology to produce them. Second-generation biofuels mainly include bioethanol produced from cellulose biomass; synthetic biofuels and biogas produced through the gasification of biomass; biodiesel produced through refining vegetable oil with hydrogen; and biohydrogen produced through gasification and various biological processes. According to Biernat, "Second-generation biofuels will be developed on the basis of raw materials such as biomass, waste vegetable oil, animal fat, and all kinds of organic waste unfit for use in the food and forestry industries."

Clean fuel on the way

Pure cellulose-derived third-generation biofuels, produced through the synthesis of biomass gasification products, are expected to hit the market after 2030.
The PPTBB Working Groups are preparing to set standards for these products in terms of their application, sampling, distribution, storage and safety. These standards are especially important because European Commission analysts say Poland may soon become a leading producer and consumer of biofuels and biocomponents in Europe.

Marek Mejssner



First-Generation Biofuels

Bioethanol (BioEtOH) is essentially the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. It is produced by hydrolysis or by fermenting common crops like grains and sugar beet.

Pure vegetable oils (PVO) are extracted from oilseeds or produced by cold pressing.

Biodiesel is non-petroleum-based diesel fuel made from rapeseed-oil methyl esters (RME), or fatty acid methyl or ethyl esters (FAME or FAEE) from other oleic plants by cold pressing, extraction or transestrification, which means replacing the alkoxy group of ester compounds with alcohol.

Biogas or purified biogas fuel is produced from the breakdown of organic matter like municipal and farm waste.

Bio-ETBE (ethyl-tertiary-butyl-ether) is a gasoline additive produced through the chemical processing of bioethanol.

Second-Generation Biofuels

Bioethanol produced from lignocellulose biomass-or biomass made of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin but not grown for food-by advanced hydrolysis or fermentation.

Synthetic biofuels are produced by gasifying biomass and by synthesizing the products of this gasification using the Biomass to Liquid (BtL) process.

Biodiesel as a fuel or fuel component can be produced from vegetable oils and animal fats-especially waste products-by hydrogenation, a chemical reaction produced when hydrogen is added to saturated organic compounds.

Bio-SNG is a substitute natural gas (SNG) produced by gasifying lignocellulose and synthesizing the products of this gasification.

Biohydrogen is hydrogen produced using biological processes or by gasifying biomass.

Third-Generation Biofuels

Biohydrogen and biomethanol are produced using biochemical processes or by gasifying lignocellulose and synthesizing the products of this gasification.


European Classification of Biofuels

Liquid Biofuels
Bioethanol is a mixture of ethanol and gasoline. Two common ethanol fuel mixtures E5 and E85 contain 5 percent and 85 percent ethanol by volume respectively.

Biodiesel is a mixture of methyl esters and diesel fuel. Two common biodiesel fuels B5 and B30 contain 5 percent and 30 percent biodiesel by volume respectively.

Biomethanol is methanol produced from biomass for use as a biofuel or fuel component.

Bio-ETBE (ethyl-tertiary-butyl-ether) is produced from bioethanol for use as a gasoline additive to increase octane rating and reduce knocking.

Bio-MTBE is produced from biomethanol for use as a gasoline additive to increase octane rating and reduce knocking.

BtL or "biomass to liquid" refers to a multi-step process to produce liquid biofuels or biofuel components from biomass.

PVO, or pure vegetable oil, is chemically unmodified crude or refined vegetable oil derived from oilseeds (eg. rapeseed) by mechanical pressing or solvent extraction. PVO can be used as a biofuel if compatible with the engine type.

Gaseous biofuels
Biogas is a gaseous fuel that has similar properties to natural gas. Biogas is produced from biomass and/or the fermentation of biodegradable waste.
Bio-DME or dimethylether is a biofuel produced from biomass as a diesel substitute and for industrial use.

Biohydrogen is hydrogen produced from biomass and/or biodegradable waste materials.



The Polish Technology Platform for Biofuels and Biocomponents comprises the following companies and institutions:

• Biotanol SA, 62A Jana Kazimierza St., 02-248 Warsaw
• Centrum Komercjalizacji Technologii Sp. z o.o., 42 Zglenickiego St., 09-411 Płock
• Elstar Oils SA, 1G Ogólna St., 82-300 Elbląg
• Firma Handlowa Witospol, 33-150 Wola Rzędzińska 487d
• Grupa Lotos SA, 18 Armii Krajowej St., 03-150 Cracow
• Instytut Chemii Przemysłowej (Industrial Chemistry Research Institute), 8 Rydygiera St., 01-793 Warsaw
• Instytut Paliw i Energii Odnawialnej (Institute for Fuels and Renewable Energy), 55 Jagiellońska St., 03-301 Warsaw
• Instytut Technologii Nafty im. Stanisława Piłata (Institute of Petroleum Processing), 1 J. Łukasiewicza St., 31-429 Cracow
• Instytut Techniczny Wojsk Lotniczych (Air Force Institute of Technology), 6 Księcia Bolesława St., 01-494 Warsaw
• Instytut Silników Spalinowych i Transportu Politechniki Poznańskiej (Poznań University of Technology Institute of Combustion Engines and Transport), 3 Piotrowo St., 60-965 Poznań
• Krajowa Spółka Cukrowa SA Polski Cukier, 40 Kraszewskiego St., 87-100 Toruń
• Krajowy Punkt Kontaktowy Programów Badawczych Unii Europejskiej (National Contact Point for Research Programs of the European Union), 21 Świętokrzyska St., 00-049 Warsaw
• Operator Logistyczny Paliw Płynnych (Logistics Operator of Liquid Fuels), 8 Chałubińskiego St., 00-613 Warsaw
• Ośrodek Badawczo Rozwojowy Przemysłu Rafineryjnego (Research and Development Center for the Petroleum Industry), 5 Chemików St., 09-411 Płock
• Politechnika Radomska (Radom University of Technology), 29 Malczewskiego St., 26-600 Radom
• Polska Izba Paliw Płynnych (Polish Chamber of Liquid Fuels), 19 Słomińskiego St., ste. 521, 00-195 Warsaw
• Polskie Estry, 54 Żelazna St., ste. 5, 00-852 Warsaw
• Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen SA, 7 Chemików St., 09-411 Płock
• Przedsiębiorstwo Przemysłu Fermentacyjnego Akwawit-Brasco SA, 2 Święciechowska St., 64-100 Leszno
• Rafineria Trzebinia SA, 22 Fabryczna St., 32-540 Trzebinia
• Zakłady Tłuszczowe Kruszwica SA, 42 Niepodległości St., 88-150 Kruszwica
• Związek Gorzelni Polskich, 60 Mińska St., 54-610 Wrocław

Associate member: Radikal Plus company from Ukraine