News
23.05.2013
Ukraine has significant potential of agricultural waste products using as a source of renewable energy
Today, 23 of May 2013, the Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club", the agency «AgriEvent» and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) held the International Bioenergetic Forum "Using the potential of agricultural waste products as a source of renewable energy in Ukraine". The event brought together experts and representatives of bioenergetics to discuss the problems and prospects of bioenergy in Ukraine, voiced advantages and disadvantages of government regulation in this field in Ukraine and abroad, also make an acquaintance with the innovative technologies of renewable energy from agricultural waste products on example of enterprises, that have already achieved success in this field in Ukraine.
"Today Ukraine is far behind the European Union in the development of bioenergy. The part of biofuels in the energetic balance of Ukraine is in 6 times lower than in EU. This is very low percentage of biofuels using. This fact is especially worrisome in view of Ukrainian desire of energetic independence", - said the president of the Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club" Alex Lissitsa.
The expert added that our country is in a favorable position for the future development of this area, as has great potential of biomass available for energy production in the form of agricultural waste products.
Chairman of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine (BAU) George Geletukha said that according to 2011 economically based energy potential of existing waste products of biomass is about 25 million tons of contingent fuel and energy potential of biomass that can be grown on unused agricultural land area of more than 4 million hectares - about 13 million tons of contingent fuel. Due to this potential, we can cover up to 15% of total primary energy consumption in Ukraine. According to BAU, till 2030 natural gas consumption savings by its replacing on biomass in Ukraine can be about 2 billion m3 of natural gas annually.
However, experts pointed out that in Ukraine there are a number of barriers to bioenergy development. Policies, promoting of renewables use in the EU, is based on four mechanisms: the market value of traditional fuels, "green" tariffs for electricity from renewables, subsidies to the final consumer purchase equipment for the using of renewables and energy efficiency, government development programs in these sectors.
Ukraine has only one mechanism - "green" tariffs. The current policy of bioenergy development requires a radical and immediate improvement from the state side.
"Despite one of the highest "green" tariffs in Europe, in Ukraine the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources is less than 1% of the total, and even that one percent of the renewable energy part of electricity from biomass is only about 2%. Last but not least, this seemingly paradoxical situation is caused by inefficient regulatory mechanism - the requirements for the purchase of local goods and services (even if they are not produced in Ukraine), the lack of "green" tariff for the joint use of traditional and renewable energy sources and so on. However, Ukraine has taken steps to improve the existing mechanism of stimulation, exemplified by the settlement preferential accession to power line",- said project manager of IFC «The investment climate in the agricultural sector of Ukraine" Sergey Osavolyuk.
During the Forum model of RETScreen was represented, which makes possible quick evaluation of the energy production quantity and the scale of savings, costs, emission reductions, financial attractiveness and risks for different types of renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies. The program is free to use.
Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club"
Velyka Zhytomyrska str., 20 А, office 53, Kyiv, 01001
Phone: +380 44 201-4950
Fax: +380 44 201-4951
099 272 59 30
Tetiana Kotyk
www.agribusiness.kiev.ua
The Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club" (UCAB) www.agribusiness.kiev.ua was founded in 2007 to protect the economic and professional interests of players of agribusiness in Ukraine. UCAB is a unique platform in Ukraine for establishing business contacts between the leaders of agribusiness, improvement their work and dialogue with the government. UCAB actively supports Ukrainian producers in establishing and maintaining international business relations. The Association consists of the largest producers and processors of agricultural products in Ukraine.
