Spanish sustainable energy company Solarig plans to invest more than PLN 1.5bn ($416–420m) to expand biomethane operations in Poland through its renewable gases division, Biorig.
The investment will support the development of a biomethane platform with a combined production capacity of around 1 TWh per year, equivalent to the annual energy needs of roughly 400,000 households. Solarig aims to develop and operate more than 20 biomethane plants over the next five years.
The facilities will be located across seven regions.
Solarig said its growth strategy in Poland will combine the acquisition of ready-to-build brownfield projects led by local developers with greenfield developments for new facilities.
The company plans to work closely with local partners, drawing on its experience in constructing and operating biomethane plants elsewhere in Europe.
Biomethane produced at the sites will be supplied to industrial customers, particularly energy-intensive manufacturers, via gas grid injection and long-term purchase agreements designed to provide stable revenues.
The move comes as Poland looks to accelerate biomethane deployment as part of broader efforts to diversify gas supply and reduce reliance on fossil natural gas, in line with EU decarbonisation objectives under the REPowerEU plan.
Despite having one of the largest agricultural sectors in the EU, Poland currently has limited biomethane production compared with western European markets.
According to the Polish Economic Institute, the country’s biomethane potential could reach up to eight billion cubic metres per year, equivalent to around 46% of current natural gas demand, supported by a large livestock base and extensive agricultural residues.
“Poland represents a strategic opportunity due to the great potential of its market,” said Piotr Tomasz Kosior, Country Manager at Biorig Poland. “This is a key moment, thanks to regulatory momentum that encourages the installation of biomethane plants.”
Solarig entered the Polish market in 2023 and has since developed a local platform covering project origination and development.
Its current portfolio in the country includes more than 300 MW of solar photovoltaic capacity and over 1.1 GW of battery energy storage projects under development.
Across Europe, Biorig has more than 60 biomethane facilities under development in Spain, Italy and Poland. Once operational, the portfolio is expected to generate around 5 TWh per year of renewable energy.
Poland opened its first industrial scale biomethane plant in September, when Polska Spolka Gazownictwa connected the 45MW Sudzuker plant to its network.