The development of bioenergy in Ukraine is impossible without effective legislation

22/09/2020
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Today, work is successfully underway on laws that are key to the development of the industry. Due to the personal position of Acting Minister of Energy of Ukraine Olha Buslavets and newly appointed deputies Head of the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine (SAEE), in particular Yurii Shafarenko, the working process on drafting legislation to support bioenergy have intensified.

The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine has already approved and sent for consideration to other central executive bodies the following draft laws:

The draft law to promote the development of energy crops, which provides for the rational usage of marginal lands and the restoration of its fertility, and the replacement of imported natural gas with biomass.
The draft law on the development of trade in solid biological fuels, which provides for the usage of agricultural waste as a raw material in the energy sector.
The draft law on exemption biofuel combustion plants from payment of tax on CO2 emissions. Biomass is recognized as a CO2-neutral fuel worldwide. The tax hinders the development of bioenergy and is not in line with international practice.

One more draft Law of Ukraine on the development of electricity production from biomethane of SAEE has been sent to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine for approval. We will remind, thanks to biomethane it is possible to replace about 8 billion m3 of natural gas per year. Biomethane is no different from natural gas, so it can be transported and used in the same way. Biomethane has the advantages of natural gas, while remaining carbon neutral.

We thank the Ministry of Energy and SAEE for the preparation and elaboration of these draft laws and look forward to further cooperation in promoting market mechanisms for the development of bioenergy.