Bioenergy Association of Ukraine

Experts from the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine took part in the International Conference "TE-RE-RD 2019", which took place on 6-8 June 2019, in Targoviste, Romania, and presented the following researches:

This paper win "Best paper award" of the TE-RE-RD 2019 conference.

Presentation:

The Bioenergy Association of Ukraine took part in the final workshop of the uP_running project, which took place on June 4, 2019 in Kyiv.

The international project uP_running within the framework of the European Union scientific and innovation cooperation program HORIZON 2020 promotes the development and dissemination of bioenergy wood utilization technologies for cutting and eradicating grape, olive and fruit plants.

Within the framework of the project "Take-off for sustainable supply of woody biomass from agrarian pruning and plantation removal (uP_running)", the Scientific Engineering Center "Biomass" and the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club conduct a final workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to provide information on the final results of the project: presenting existing value chains, business models and best practices, and discussing lessons learned with stakeholders: farmers, service companies and energy consumers.

Experts from the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine, as a part of a Ukrainian delegation, visited Augsburg (Germany) and got acquainted with the waste management system.

The trip "Modern technologies and conceptual solutions for the waste processing industry" was held on May 20-24 in the cities of Bavaria within the framework of the "Bayern-fit for partnership" program of the Bavarian Government. Organizers: em&s and Solid waste consult Ukraine-Bavaria. Funding: Bayern International.

Waste in the region of Augsburg is separated into several containers. For recycling comes mostly brown (organic waste) and gray (unsorted residues) containers. The content of the gray container – burned, brown content – is fused to produce biogas. Paper, glass, plastic, packaging are utilized with the help of private companies.

Recycling in Augsburg is a comprehensive solution for one million inhabitants

The processing of organic and unsorted waste is organized by the non-profit municipal company AVA, that is established in 1991 by several municipalities, the main founder is Augsburg (280 thousand inhabitants). The services of the company are used by about one million inhabitants on the territory of 4880 km².

Fig. 1 Entrance of cars with waste on the territory of the complex	Fig. 2 Loading waste (unsorted residues) for incineration

Business entities that burn biomass on stationary sources of pollution are taxpayers for carbon dioxide emissions (according to Article 240 Tax Code of Ukraine). From January 1, 2019, the tax rate for carbon dioxide emissions from stationary sources has been raised from 0.41 UAH per ton to 10 UAH per ton, ie increased by 24.4 times. 

Details: UABio Infographics "Ukraine has increased the CO2 tax for biomass plants"

This state of affairs does not correspond to world practice, since biomass is considered as СО2-neutral fuel, because the amount of carbon dioxide formed during burning equals the amount carbon dioxide which absorbed by plants during growth.

Position of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine:

"We ask to exempt businesses which are burning biomass from stationary sources of pollution from paying carbon dioxide taxes.
In particular, we propose to supplement clause 243.4. Article 243 of the Tax Code of Ukraine with the following sentence: "The tax rate for carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the combustion of biomass, including as a result of its simultaneous incineration with other fuels, is 0.00 UAH per 1 ton".

We are pleased to announce the new UABio member – the agro company "Gals Agro". 

The structure of the company includes 2 sugar factories, 7 agro-industrial firms, 2 elevators with a total capacity of 50 thousand tons.

Areas of activity:

• Sugar production from sugar beet;
• Crop production: corn, winter wheat, soybean, sunflower, barley;
• Meat and dairy production: poultry breeding – 150 thousand heads (turkeys); pig breeding – 14 thousand heads; cattle – 4 thousand heads.

Regions of activity of the company: Kiev and Chernihiv regions.

Biogas plants of the agro company "Gals Agro", as of May 2019:

1. Chernihiv region, Lynovytsia village, 2.4 MW – put into commercial operation in August 2018.
2. Chernihiv region, Zhuravka village, 1.2 MW – put into commercial operation in April 2019.
3. Kyiv region, Horodyshche-Pustovarivske village, 2.4 MW – on a start-up stage.
4. Kyiv region, Pyshchyky village, 1.5 MW – at the start of the construction stage, launch by the end of 2019.

Details of the operation of the biogas plants of the agro company "Gals Agro":

• raw: sugar beet pulp, energy crops silo, cattle, and pig manure;
• the electrical energy produced from biogas, the agro company plans to sell at the green tariff;
• the heat received in the process of biogas production, the agro company plans to use for heating of animal complexes and greenhouses;
• the agro company plans to use the substrate as fertilizer at its own agricultural enterprises.

The team of CU "Bioenergy Association of Ukraine" is grateful for the support! We continue to create a common platform for cooperation on bioenergy market of Ukraine, ensuring the most favorable business conditions for accelerated and sustainable bioenergy development. We invite you to join UABio!

On May 22, 2019, experts of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine Tetyana Zheliezna and Oleksandra Tryboi took part in the roundtable on energy statistics and energy balance held within the framework of the EU Twinning project "Renewables Development in Ukraine" at the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine.

Representatives of the SAEE, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, experts from the Twinning project from the Austrian Energy Agency and EURAC Research, State Enterprise "National Power Company "Ukrenergo" also attended the round table. The participants discussed the current collection of statistical data in the energy sector.

We are pleased to announce the return to the UABio community - Enerstena Ukraine LLC. 

"ENERSTENA Ukraine" was founded in 2015 and is a subsidiary of the Lithuanian Group of Companies "ENERSTENA".

“Enerstena” Group of Companies is well-known in Lithuanian energy sector, distinguishing itself for its biomass heating technologies. Company operates on the energy market since 2002.

“Enerstena” achievements are the following: development of our own technology, establishment of the centre of science and research and building of the team of the strongest professionals. This allows the company to propose to customers the most efficient solutions for energy production: design and manufacture of biomass boilers, flue gas condensers, furnaces and other technological equipment for biomass boiler plants.

Sergiy Shpak, Director of Ecodevelop, spoke about the experience of building modern biogas plants and the company’s development.

When did the company start to deal with bioenergy projects and in what direction is the development going now?

The first pilot project of the biogas station (BGS) was implemented by Ecodevelop 2 years ago. Then we acted as a customer of the project in the village of Bziv, Kyiv region. In the process of implementing our own biogas station, we have gained invaluable experience that helps us in the construction of modern biogas stations. 

Today, in addition to operating the Bziv station and bringing it to the planned capacity, as well as upgrading it to increase efficiency, the company is engaged in designing several bioenergy facilities with a capacity of 1.5 MW each for one of the leaders of the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine – Gals Agro.

What are the benefits for the project participants in the construction of BGS?

It is beneficial to each participant. In particular:
Benefits for farmers: 24/7 energy self-sufficience, business diversification and additional profit, reduction of production costs due to savings on energy carriers, increased product competitiveness, status and certification of organic and eco-products for export to EU countries along with value added, increased yields by 30% due to organic fertilizers, which are produced after recycling.
Business benefits: investment projects with a payback period of 3-6 years, environmental investment and social responsibility, a dynamic business in the renewable energy sector, as well as guaranteed export of agro-waste products to Europe.
Benefits for communities: creating business entities, filling the local budget with taxes, developing a rural community, solving environmental issues (clean ground, water, air) and the possibility of creating an independent heating system.
Benefits for local authorities: integrated development of the region due to the attraction of “green” investments, the possibility of using biomethane as a fuel for public transport (13 million cars in the world are fueled by biogas), the possibility of creating an energy cooperative.

Fig. 1 MSW Landfill №5	Fig. 2 Heavy machinery (compactors) used to effectively seal the waste layer

On May 11, representatives of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine, as part of a large group of environmentalists working on improving the solid household waste management system, visited the municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill №5 near to the Pidhirtsi village.

MSW Landfill №5 is the largest storage facility for municipal solid waste in Ukraine. This is an engineering building with an area of 65 hectares, built in 1986. For 33 years 15 million tons of solid waste or about 10 tons of waste for one Kyiv citizen have been accumulated there.

MSW Landfill №5 has a lot of similarity with the sanitary polygons of developed countries:

• use of Heavy machinery (compactors) for effective sealing the waste layer (Fig. 2)
• covering part of the waste with a temporary layer of soil (seen in the background in Fig. 3)
• flandfill gas collection for power generation (Fig. 4)
• prevention of contaminated water (filtrate) (Fig. 4) enters the underground horizons, including cleaning this water in installations (Fig. 5). The quantity of such installations is planning to be increased.
• fencing dams (Fig. 6) which are constantly strengthening – placed along the perimeter of the test site.
• weight control of MSW at the landfill entrance (Fig. 3)

The listed measures allow reducing the negative waste impacts on the environment.

Bioenergy Association of Ukraine (UABio) appealed to the acting Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Safety Dombrovsky O.G., Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Construction, Urban Planning and Housing and Communal Services Skuratovskyi S.I., Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Utilities of Ukraine Zubko G.G. and Head of the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine Savchuk S.D.

In the letter UABio presented its proposals and comments to the draft Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Heat Supply" regarding the improvement of the mechanism for the formation and establishment of tariffs for heat energy, including those produced using alternative energy sources", which was registered in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, No. 10242 dated April 23, 2019, and urged the support and introduction of appropriate amendments to the draft law between the first and second reading.

UABio position is carefully prepared, discussed and agreed by the UABio members, which generate more than 50% of all thermal energy from the RES in district heating systems of Ukraine.