The $34.1 million plant constructed by DP Cleantech over the next 24 months with operational start up scheduled for the end of 2014. The company, which specialises in straw-fired biomass technology, will engineer, manufacture and commission the combustion boiler, fuel feeding and air system.

“The plant in Winsko will demonstrate the unique optimisation of DP CleanTech technology,” the company said in a statement.

The system will be designed to handly up to 80% wood chips, and the bespoke boiler design aims to minimise NOx emissions. Meanwhile, a newly designed feeding system will handle both square and round bales.

Zbigniew Prokopowicz, CEO of PEP said: “For this project, longstanding practical experience and technical expertise in developing enhanced solutions, backed up by proven technology were key factors behind our decision to work with DP CleanTech.”

Warsaw-based PEP is focused on developing biomass and wind in Poland. Krzysztof Dragon, chief operating officer at DP CleanTech said: “We are great admirers of what PEP are trying to achieve with biomass power in Poland. We have built a solid relationship with PEP, and hope to work together to develop further projects which build on a shared vision of the increasingly important role that biomass can play in Poland’s energy mix.”

According to DP Cleantech, Poland is “poised to become one of the major growth markets in the European biomass industry,” with an attractive incentive scheme and a growing interest in biomass.

Poland is currently highly dependent on coal, as well as Russian produced gas, but the Polish authorities are keen to move away from coal, and meet European renewable energy targets. A recent report from Garrad Hassan concluded that the development of offshore wind resources for example will be "vital for many of the Baltic nations, as they look to meet their commitments to boost renewable energy generation".

Renewable energy resources can also have tremendous benefits to the agricultural industry, experts believe.