The last conference of the BioRes project took place on May 11th in Brussels. The event was organized in a premise of the Bavarian representative office in EU, in an exclusive location close to the European Parliament.

BIORES decided to organize its final conference as a contribution to the current debate on the future energy mix in the EU. In this sense, the conference had the title "Visions of bioenergy - the transfer of local initiatives in Brussels". The main question of the whole event was: How can the experience gained in the BIORES project be usefully applied in the current political context in the EU?

It is important to remember that bioenergy is the most important source of renewable energy in Europe and will play a key role in the future energy mix of the European Union. The bulk of bioenergy in Europe comes from wood residues that occur and are used locally, and therefore the development of bioenergy sector depends on the willingness of local communities to use them sustainably. Local examples presented at this conference highlighted the possibility of transfering what is in the European Directive on renewable energy into practice.

The conference was divided into the following five thematic blocks:

1. Political vision on Bioenergy
2. Influence of political enforce on local initiatives
3. Visual tour though the BLTC Leoben in Austria (360◦ Video)
4. Local projects and regional impact
5. The transition from fossil fuels to bioenergy

Vojislav Milijić, vice president of SERBIO and manager of the BIORES project for Serbia held a presentation at the fifth thematic block. He presented the thesis why are logistic centers the response to the growing demand for wood biomass, both at local and regional level. He pointed out that logistic centers are not only dynamic, but at the same time simple and innovative, because they represent a healthy business model.

A large number of participants from all over Europe showed that bioenergy from wood is an important topic in countries that are not partners in the project. Participants from 28 countries showed a great need for information, knowledge sharing and active communication between people with experience in Europe and beyond. The conference was particularly instrumental in the exchange of knowledge between developed and less developed biomass markets, noting the obstacles and the common opportunities and chances.

Heating Plants in Serbia usually use gas and mazut, which are expensive because of the import. In case of problems of supply, eight plants don’t have alternative to gas. A couple of pilot projects shows that biomass could be the cost-effective replacement and heating could be up to 10 percent less than mazut. Serbia provides 23 percent from renewables, with biomass share of 10 percent. That percent could be twice as high when the potential of the land would be used. Out of all the renewables, the biggest opportunities come from biomass.

Last year, Smederevo heating plant switched one boiler room from fuel oil to biomass and halved the fuel costs. They applied for reconstruction of one more which will heat up to 1.000 apartments.

About 86 percent, by the first calculations, we would decrease carbon dioxide emission, in which the we would save up to 37 percent on energent purchasing, says the director of Heating plant in Smederevo, Vladimir Kulagić.

The transition to biomass in the Ministry of Energy Programme includes 15 Power plants. With the support of Germany organization for international cooperation along with “KFV Bank” the first phase of reconstruction five remote systems in Mali Zvornik, Nova Varoš, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje and Bečej is in progress.

Within dfferent project, which is supported by Programme of United nations for development, under construction is six new plants using biomass which will along with heating provide electricity as well. Chamber of Commerce od Serbia the electronic market supply and demand is available as well.

Izovr: rts.rs

Construction of the new Heating Plant using wood chops is the best solution for the Banja Luka’s citizens in present circumstances, said by deputy major Srđan Amidžić.

Selection the strategic partner for raising the Heating Plant, in the City administration they're hoping that once and forever will solve the problem with this utility company and residents heating.

The aim is, as he said, to build up a system in which the debt will begin to reduce. With ne company using the wood chips, the city of Banja Luka plans to save about eight million marks annually. It is calculated that the biggest city of Republika Srpska needs about 80.000 tones of wood chips. Republika Srpska hasn’t got any other emergent such as gas or thermal water, so it is logical to turn to wood, which can be find locally.

He points out that they already spoke with 'Šumama Srpske' and other suppliers and have already reserved needed amounts of wood chips, so this emergent, he assures, will not be a problem.

Let's remind that construction of the Heating Plant using biomass in Prijedor cost about 8,6 million euros. This plant annually spends 30.000 cubic meters of wood mass, which is three times less than planned consumption in Banja Luka. So, having this calculation in mind, construction similar Heating Plant in the city on the river of Vrbas would cost about 20 million euros. Partner that invests will own 52 percent of the capital. Prijedor annually spends 2 million marks on biomass, instead of earlier 5,5 million spent on mazut.

Old Heating Plant has to go trough the process of reconstruction, and the Town is the warrantor. The goal is to reduce 85 million marks debt, not to increase it year by year said Amidžić.

Source blic.rs

WHAT ?
Come and hear about Europe’s visions of bioenergy, from both the institutional and the grassroots perspectives. Organised by AEBIOM, in the frame of the BioRES project, Visions of Bioenergy - Bringing Local Initiatives to Brussels gives you the opportunity to discover, first-hand, a range of concrete, local projects that have transformational and far-reaching regional benefits.

Participants will have the chance to visit one of these projects, an Austrian BLTC, through a total immersion in a 360° video. It’ll be like travelling to the place…

WHEN?
11th of May 2017 ( from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm)

WHERE?
Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU, Brussels (BE)

About BioRES

BioRES is introducing the innovative concept of Biomass Logistic and Trade Centres (BLTCs) to Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria based on international cooperation with European technology leaders. As regional 'bioenergy markets' these BLTCs will help to increase both local supply and demand for woody bioenergy products. Learn more...

The seventh meeting of the BIORES project Steering Comittee took place from January 30th to February 1st in Plovdiv (Bulgaria). The meeting was attended by all project partners, who thoroughly analyzed the progress on all project activities during the two-day discussion.

Bearing in mind that the BIORES project ends in June 2017, it was necessary to make a detailed cross section of the situation and agree on further steps in the upcoming final months.

On this occasion, it was agreed that the National Biomass Association SERBIO will develop an on-line logistic center for biomass supply by the end of the project, the only one of its kind to be established in the lands of implementation. This logistic center will be established initially in western Serbia and it will connect wood biofuel producers, retailers and carriers. After the initial stages of formation, the on-line logistic center will have all the potential to further expand and include other regions.

In addition to this, the National Biomass Association SERBIO will conduct the certification process of a logistic center by the system CoC (Chain of Custody). This will be the only certified logistic center in the lands of implementation.

At the meeting was also a web platform presented, through which will all logistic centers, established through the BIORES project, get their presentation on the Internet. The same platform will also serve for the establishment of the on-line logistic center.

At the end of the meeting the date of the final conference of the BIORES project was determined. The conference will be held on May 11th 2017 in the Bavarian House in Brussels, near the European Parliament.

The CO2 tax as a key tool for a successful energy transition

From 18th to the 20th of January, the world's leading experts on bioenergy from forestry and agriculture, electrical and thermal energy, mobility and science met at the 5th Central-European conference on biomass in Graz. On this occasion, the World Biomass Association, the European Biomass Association, as well as national associations from Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia signed the declaration of Graz, which contains the requirements of EU energy policy.
Key parameters defined in the declaration can be summarized as follows:

• Halve the use of fossil fuels in the EU by 2030;
• Output from the production of electricity from fossil sources;
• Promotion of producers of energy from renewable sources and
• Doubling renewable energy

The text of the Declaration in English can be found below.

The Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Styria (LK Steiermark) published some animated footages on the use of biomass and environmental protection. Take a look!

Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antić, Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali and the Swiss Ambassador Filip Ge, signed an annex to the Agreement for the project of the combined biomass heating-power plant in Padinska Skela.

With the Annex Agreement the funding for the realisation of the project is increased. Financial assistance from the Swiss government has been increased from € 6,418,200 to € 7,597,700 and from 435,000 Swiss francs to 973,400 francs, while the city of Belgrade provides co-financing in the amount of € 1,500,000.

The project envisages the construction of combined heat - power plant (CHPP) in Padinska Skela, which uses biomass for fuel, energy rehabilitation of the school "Olga Petrov" and hospital "Dr Laza Lazarevic", as well as building a heating pipeline.

More on the website of the Ministry of Mining and Energy.

Source: Website of the Ministry of Mining and Energy

Representatives of the Ministry of Energy, the City of Belgrade and the Embassy of Switzerland, signed, on Monday January 16th, an annex contract for the construction of a combined biomass heating-power plant in Padinska Skela, which has secured additional funding from the Government of Switzerland in the amount of EUR 1.2 million and 500,000 Swiss francs.

Also, at the end of December 2016, the company „Vinex Etil“ announced an investment of 5.8 million euros in the construction of the BIOENERGANA in Lukicevo near Zrenjanin, with the capacity of 2 megawatts. „Bioenergy point“, besides the existing factory for the production of pellets in Boljevac, started the construction of another such facility at the beginning of December, worth around 2 million euros, and a biomass power plant, which is an investment of additional EUR 7 million "heavy".

All these current - announced and already started - investment in biomass and its processing occur at the moment when the project BIORES, which introduces an innovative concept of biomass logistic and trade centers (BLTC) in Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria, is entering its final phase. The activities, that the National Biomass Association SERBIO conducted in cooperation with international partners from the European Union, began in January 2015 and is planned to complete the project by June 2017.

- Within BIORES project we should achieve three major objectives - to form between six and eight logistics and trade centers for woody biomass in at least two of the three countries (Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia), as well as to secure contracts for the sale of at least 8,000 tons of wood fuel and purchase adequate quantities of raw materials to produce these fuels. We are still working on these two goals, while the third - the training of 12 trainers who will hold further trainings to those interested in woody biofuels supply chains, as well as the presence of at least 400 participants in these trainings, is carried out - said in an interview for eKapija Vojislav Milijić, vice president of the National Biomass Association SERBIO and BIORES project manager for Serbia.

According to him, these centers should have optimized organization of trade and logistics, they shall be traded in different products based on biomass, and therefore it was important that they fulfilled some of the most important criteria: that the location has the necessary potential and resources, that the local administration is interested to contribute, that there are some interested private investors, and that there are consumer awareness and demand on the market. In these three countries were 15 such locations recognized, six of which in Serbia.

- There are already potential investors in Serbia, and we are currently working on two logistic and trade centers. Basically it comes to brownfield investments where there is already a basic infrastructure. In some cases, there is a lot of equipment, and it is necessary to adapt the space and purchase additional parts of machines. The amount of the investment depends mainly on the baseline, so in some logistic centers in Austria the investment was lower than 500,000 EUR, while in some centers in Germany there was several million euros invested - said Milijić.

Biomass could also heat greenhouses ...

When it comes to the provision of raw materials, the interlocutor of eKapija says that the demand for wood is big and that the forest owners and users are interested in cooperation, but their interest is "to create additional value and achieve better price."

- Selling quality wood fuel is something that will increasingly gain in importance in the future, and the importance of renewable energy sources, biomass in particular, has been recognized by representatives of the state. There is willingness for concrete support, that we have already received from the Ministry of Agriculture, and local governments - said Vojislav Milijić, adding that the project BIORES will employ large numbers of people, both at the logistic and trade centers, and indirectly, by engaging in the supply of wood , production and transport.

As for the potential of biomass as a resource in Serbia, our interlocutor explains that it depends on the type of biomass. If we are talking about agricultural biomass, Vojvodina is certainly the leading, primarily Backa. When it comes to the opportunities for energy plantations, there are good potentials in Banat, while in Srem there is a presence of agricultural as well as woody biomass.

With him agrees the Agroeconomic analyst Milan Prostran, which states that the annual capacity of biomass in Serbia is about 3.5 million tons, of which about 2 million in Vojvodina and 1.5 million tons in central Serbia.

- The potential is obvious, but still insignificantly used, because about this type of energy is seriously spoken only in the past decade. I think that the country has not yet sufficiently recognized the importance of biomass, which can be used for heating greenhouses, which would extend the season to the entire year - says Prostran in the interview for eKapija.

He points out that in Vojvodina the biomass is most present, which is generated from residues after harvest, or grain harvest, and recalls that numerous projects have already started, and that there are a briquette plant and insulation panels, which successfully operate.

It is necessary to develop the domestic market

Vojislav Milijić notes that woody biomass has significant potential in eastern, southern and western Serbia, but also draws attention to the complexity of raw materials, because we have to bear in mind the consumers. According to him, where there is potential, there are often no consumers, and the long distance transport - is not always cost-effective.

When it comes to placing biomass on the market, that also depends on the product. By wood pellets, after many years of dominance in export, there was a significant increase in demand in the domestic market. Wood chips has still a limited demand in the domestic market, while the demand for firewood is constantly growing, because it is used by households and producers of pellets and plywood. The demand for straw is still limited, but it is increasing.

- I think we certainly need to work on developing the domestic market, because if we strive for energy independence, we should not export biomass, which we will then compensate by importing fossil fuels - believes Vojislav Milijić.

He concludes that the project BIORES contributes to the promotion of renewable energy, but its aim is primarily to draw attention to the economic effects of use of woody biofuels and present models and ways to use them as an environmentally friendly, sustainable and cost-effective fuel.

Marko Andrejić

Source: eKapija

Ecology is becoming increasingly profitable area as evidenced by billions invested in that area and millions of new jobs. "Green technologies" form 2.5 percent of the GDP of the European Union, and have brought 3.5 million jobs and are in constant development, according Economics online.

Serbia, on the other hand, allocates only 0.4 percent of gross domestic product for ecology, and experts say that anything under 1.5 percent is insufficient for the investment in the improvement of environmental quality. It is estimated that Serbia, which wants to join the EU, will have to invest about 10 billion euros in environmental projects in the next decade, according to the text.

In the negotiations with the EU, Chapter 27 which deals with environmental issues and climate change obliges Serbia to invest in the field of ecology. Of the total amount of assistance from pre-accession funds, which Serbia has received from the EU in the past fifteen years, a quarter has been devoted to environmental protection.

Since 2000, Serbia has invested nearly 700 million euros in environmental projects, of which have benefited more than one million citizens through a better supply of clean water and waste management services, cleaner air, safer management of hazardous chemicals, but also indirectly, through better general regulations in this area.

Compliance with stringent EU directives on ecology entails significant investments, which represents an economic potential. In fact, investment in infrastructure of "green technology" and circular economy opens up the possibility for new jobs. It is estimated that Serbia will need 10 billion euros for investments in environmental protection in the next decade. Most will be invested in water management, both in the water and wastewater treatment, as well as in the rehabilitation of industrial pollution and more efficient waste management, and funding will be provided through a variety of collaborative projects with the help of the EU. It is estimated that 150,000 jobs would be created in the next five years, through various branches of the "green economy".

Source: Economic Online