Exploitation of renewable energy sources for power generation has been more and more important in recent years. This results from the economic issues and the measures taken to ensure the energy security. The aim of this research was to determine the significance of renewable energy sources (RES) in the energy mix of Poland, and to elicit the opinions and the level of knowledge of the society on the use and development of non-conventional energy. The article also presents advantages and disadvantages of types of RES, the obstacles which hinder the progress of green energy in Poland, and the proposed measures to expand the share of the RES in the overall energy mix. The research relied on the statistical data gathered by Statistics Poland. The opinions of respondents were elicited through a diagnostic survey based on a questionnaire. The research has demonstrated that the respondents support the development of RES in Poland. However, they also maintain that the purchase and installation of devices for the production of non-conventional energy are too expensive. The respondents believe that in order to increase the number of green power plants, subsidies to encourage RES investment and tax reliefs related to this investment should be bigger.

Biomass is playing an increasingly important role as a source of renewable energy. The aim of this study has been to identify the potential applicability of straw from agricultural crops to generate energy within the district of Braniewo, in the province Warmia and Mazury, Poland. The study covered the years 2015 to 2017. Based on statistical data, and using appropriate equations and norms, the structure of crop production and the number of livestock in the mentioned district were analysed; the potential production volume of straw was estimated, from which the amount needed for animal production (feed and bedding) was deducted, while the organic substance balance in soil was calculated. An annual average amount of straw remaining to be used for energy purposes in the district of Braniewo is about 41,531 t of straw, equivalent to about 60,222 GJ of energy (24,088 t of coal). In addition to the above analyses, a survey was conducted among local farmers, which showed their opinions about barriers to and opportunities for growing crops for energy purposes and using renewable energy resources. The survey results justify the claim that there is certain potential among farmers in the district of Braniewo to grow crops for energy purposes.

Energy use in agricultural production has been increasing faster than in many other sectors of the world economy. Owing to high energy consumption during the production of agricultural inputs, with mineral nitrogen fertilizers in particular, it is often questioned as to whether agricultural production is still energy efficient. The objective of this research was to evaluate the energy efficiency of different intensity systems for the production of semi-dwarf winter triticale cultivar ”Twingo”. Cultivar “Twingo” entered the Polish National List in 2012 as one of the best yielding. For this reason, it was used in this experiment to examine its response to basic agrotechnical factors. The field experiment was conducted in the Agricultural Experiment Station in Tomaszkowo in 2013–2015. Low-input, medium-input and high-input production systems were evaluated. The compared systems differed in nitrogen fertilization rates and the level of fungicide protection. The highest output/input ratio was noticed growing winter triticale in low-input production system. The most energy-consuming operation during winter triticale production in the compared systems was mineral fertilization. The high-input production system was significantly lower energy efficiency than the other systems (6.21, medium-input 5.95, low-input 8.19). The energy return on investment (EROI) ratio was low, but above 1, in all the analyzed technologies (low-input 1.30, medium-input 1.14, high-input 1.15). The energy value of the bioethanol produced was higher than the energy inputs into the production of raw material and its processing. The conversion of winter triticale grain to bioethanol proved that the EROI reached the most favorable value for the low-input production system.

Research related to fertilization in winter triticale cultivation was limited to macroelements. The effects of boron on triticale (deficiency or toxicity) affecting productivity are still unknown. In 2013-2015, a field experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station in Tomaszkowo near Olsztyn. The objective was set response of winter triticale variety Pigmej under the influence of various levels of nitrogen (N) and boron (B) fertilization. Five levels of nitrogen fertilization: 0, 40, 80 (50 + 30), 120 (90 + 30), and 160 (90 + 70) kg ha −1 and four levels of boron fertilization: 0, 0.8, 1.6, and 2.4 kg ha −1 were tested. The experiment has demonstrated considerable differences in the grain yield volume and structure under the influence of various weather conditions and different doses of nitrogen. The difference between the highest and lowest grain yield was 1.7 t ha −1 -53.6%. The effect of boron application was also manifested as an increase in the winter triticale grain yield and improved yield component structure, but the statistically significant differences were observed only in ears number per 1 m 2 . The highest dose of boron applied in the experiment caused a decrease in the quantity of grain yield and its component parts.Agronomy 2020, 10, 279 2 of 12 claim that winter cereals will be grown in northern regions on a much larger area in the near future than at present.One of the most important agrotechnical factors influencing the yield of grain and enabling farmers to take full advantage of the high production potential of cereals is mineral fertilization, especially nitrogen nutrition [9,[15][16][17]. In intensive plant production, the level of nitrogen fertilization and the date of its application are essential for the attainment of high productivity of plants, supplying good quality yields [18].Boron is one of the micronutrients that are deficient in soil [19]. According to Herrera-Rodriguez [20], large areas of farmland across the world are characterized by a boron deficit, which inhibits the growth, development, and yielding of major crops. In Poland, the majority of soils are light and acidic. This is conducive to boron deficiencies, because the element is readily soluble in water and therefore easily leached from soil.Boron can be applied in long-term and in annual plantations; it is usually supplied in spring or autumn, in the form of solid fertilizers, either to soil or sprayed over foliage, and sometimes even during seed dressing. Plants should have access to this element from germination of maturity [21]. Boron is involved in many processes in the plant, e.g., calcium utilization, cell division, during the generative growth of plants, when the element affects water relations, resistance to diseases, and nitrogen metabolism [22]. Among elements essential for plants, boron is the only element that is absorbed not as an ion but as an uncharged molecule [23].Boron is essential for plants, and recent studies on the biological role of this element in different metabolic, nutritive, hormonal, ...

The present investigations were undertaken, in which the winter triticale cultivar Twingo was examined, with the aim of analyzing production output, expressed by grain yield and its structure, as affected by different levels of nitrogen and magnesium fertilisation and assess and compare the economic efficiency of production technologies. This research encompassed the results of a three-year (2013-2015) field experiment conducted at the Research Station in Tomaszkowo near Olsztyn, Poland. The experiment was set up in a random, split-plot design, with four replications. The first order factor was nitrogen fertilisation (kg ha-1): 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150. The second order factor was the level of magnesium fertilisation (kg ha-1): 0 and 5 kg MgSO4∙7H2O. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the grain yield was significantly affected by the year of the trial, nitrogen and magnesium fertilisation, interaction of the first and second factors was not proven. The method based on the standard gross margin (SGM) was used for the economic evaluation of the three production technology differentiated costs levels. Three technologies with the highest, medium and lowest average yields were selected to the comparison. Differences in compared technologies concerned to the date and dose of nitrogen and magnesium fertilisation. Results showed, that increasing intensity of winter triticale technology in the field trial, caused the higher financial yield value of winter triticale, as well as direct costs and direct surplus. The direct surplus was higher by 24.4% between the lowest and the highest winter triticale technologies. The highest yield technology was characterized by the highest profitability.