**Preface to "Energy Supply within Sustainable Agricultural Production: Challenges, Policies and Mechanisms"**

The inspiration for accepting the proposal to join in the editing process of this Special Issue came from a statement in the preamble to Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources that increasing the use of RES "has a fundamental part to play in promoting the security of energy supply, sustainable energy at affordable prices, technological development and innovation as well as technological and industrial leadership while providing environmental, social and health benefits as well as major opportunities for employment and regional development, especially in rural and isolated areas, in regions or territories with low population density or undergoing partial deindustrialisation". Agriculture and rural areas may play a very important role in solving these problems to a greater extent than before. The Issue intends to link together research on agricultural sustainability and its generation of energy. It also aims to contribute to policy debate on supporting agricultural development locally, regionally or globally to assure its input into sustainability through increasing delivery of renewable energy. Hence, the relevant questions were what enhances the sustainability of agricultural production and how that can be practically achieved through the increase of efficiency in use of energy and other related resources. This Special Issue aims to be of service to policy makers dealing with sustainability, energy, and agricultural policies. The papers also offer insights into solutions for working in times of crises, such as global economic crises (e.g., 2008/2009), world embargoes (e.g., Russian embargo of 2014 and 2022, associated with the war in Ukraine) or COVID-19, as both supply and demand fluctuate in times of extraordinary conditions arising from economic, social, environmental, and other challenges.

As the guest editors of this Special Issue, we would like to kindly thank MDPI and the *Energies* team for providing this extraordinary opportunity of learning and growth as well as the editorial staff, especially Ms. Reka Kovacs, for their continuous support and consideration. We must acknowledge the fact that such interactions are an excellent platform especially for young researchers for their scientific growth and we hope the readers enjoy this research.

> **Piotr Gradziuk, Bogdan Klepacki, and Mariusz J. Stolarski** *Editors*

#### *Article*
