At the specialist seminar of the Quality Association for Fermentation Products (GGG) and “Waste Fermentation Day” 2026, we presented one of the most exciting bioenergy projects in Europe at present: Poland's first biomethane plant with direct grid feed-in in Strzelin. The plant, designed by Krieg & Fischer Ingenieure GmbH, will enable the Strzelin sugar factory of Südzucker Polska to achieve almost complete biogenic self-sufficiency for the first time and marks an important step towards the production of “green sugar.”

The project impressively demonstrates how modern biogas technology can transform industrial processes. In Strzelin, the sugar factory's energy requirements will in future be covered almost completely by sugar beet pulp – the main by-product of its own sugar production, which is now being used optimally for energy. Flexible operation between 5 and 100 percent capacity allows biogas production to be precisely adapted to the seasonal requirements of the beet campaign and the requirements for biomethane in the local grid. In addition, high-quality fermentation residue processing provides fertilizer products and dischargeable water, creating a closed material cycle.

A major milestone was reached on September 9, 2025, when biomethane was fed into the Polish natural gas grid for the first time. The plant is thus sending a clear signal for the future energy supply of the sugar industry. Strzelin shows that economic stability, security of supply, and climate protection are not contradictory, but can reinforce each other. At the same time, it highlights the central role that biogenic energy systems play in industrial transformation.

This project sets new standards for the industry and illustrates the contribution that innovative energy concepts can already make today.