Sustainable Bioenergy Value Chain Innovations — the results of the stakeholders meeting
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development starts implementation of Programme «Ukraine: Sustainable Bioenergy Value Chain Innovations».
On July 2, an online meeting of the stakeholders’ working group took place within the first component of the Programme “Supportive legislative, regulatory framework for bioenergy value chains in Ukraine”. The event was attended by more than 20 specialists, including representatives of government and business.
Speakers: Kyrylo Tomliak – EBRD Program Manager, Jesper Karup Pedersen – Chief Project Manager COWI A/S, Coordinator of the first component of the Programme, Georgii Geletukha – Head of the Public Organization «Renewable Energy Agency», Deputy Coordinator of the first component of the Programme.
Speakers quotes and presentations
Kyrylo Tomliak, EBRD Program Manager:
“In the project, we call bioenergy the queen of renewable energy sources because of its economic attractiveness. The industry is extremely important in terms of waste use, production of organic heat and electricity, job creation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, balancing the electricity market, improving soil quality. All that is needed is to help the industry fully unleash this potential.”
Jesper Karup Pedersen, Coordinator of the first component of the Programme:
“The project has two objectives: to help develop an effective legal framework of bioenergy in Ukraine, and to help to establish the foundations for potential EBRD banking operations in bioenergy sphere and the related value chain in the corporate sector of Ukraine. Accordingly, there are three focal areas within the development will take place: an action plan for the development of bioenergy, incentives for bioenergy technologies and biomass certification schemes to ensure the operation of the biofuel exchange.”
Georgii Geletukha, Deputy Coordinator of the first component of the Programme:
“Bioenergy has good growth rates – 31% per year, as well as very ambitious plans. According to the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035, the usage of biomass, biofuels and waste should grow to 11 million tons of oil equivalent. Ukraine has all the resources for this. According to UABIO estimates, the potential available today is over 23 million tons. These are agricultural waste and residues, as well as energy crops. That is why the EBRD and GEF project is very important, because it focuses on agricultural biomass and energy crops.”
Yaroslav Demchenkov, Deputy Minister of Energy for European Integration:
“Bioenergy is one of the strategic directions of the renewable energy sector in Ukraine. It is important to understand that today, unfortunately, natural gas ranks second in the commodity structure of Ukraine’s imports after oil and petroleum products. We import gas for $ 2 billion. Moreover, today the annual consumption of this natural gas is almost 30 billion m3. This suggests that there is a very large potential for substitution. Because Ukraine is an agrarian country, we really have great potential for the development of bioenergy. We understand that this is a big political issue. That’s why, when we talk about the annual plan, we must take into account all the factors.”
Olena Maister, Chief Specialist of the Department of MFA, STV and Data Management of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine:
“Ministry will fully support the development of bioenergy including legal framework. I agree that, for example, the digestate has a very promising direction of development. Nevertheless, I think it is necessary, first, to pay attention to how it will be used, because now this is the main waste from methane production.”
Yurii Shafarenko, the Deputy Head of SAEE:
“There are a lot of developments and initiatives now. I feel that a good team is being formed that can implement all these initiatives in the best way and in the fastest way. Regarding the project that is presented today, SAEE directly supports it and is ready for close cooperation. I would like to add and thank the Ministry for close cooperation, which is already yielding results. We have recently issued a Law on highly efficient cogeneration from the Ministry and launched it at the central executive bodies. In the near future, we plan to release our Law on the solid biofuel market.”
