„Sustainable regional suply chains for woody bioenergy“
During Saturday and Sunday, November 26th and 27th, the National Biomass Assocication SERBIO held a training on sustainable suply chains for woody bioenergy and logistics, on whose initiation in Serbia works the National Biomass Association SERBIO, within the European Project BioRES. The trainings are held in the framework of a multi-conference SERBIAN VISIONS 2016, a project of the German-Serbian Chamber of commerce.
The vice president of the National Biomass Association SERBIO and manager of the BioRes project in Serbia, Vojislav Milijić,pointed out that these local or regional centers with optimized organization of trade and logistics, where various products, based on biomass of standardized quality, are traded, are very important for the development of the energy sector in Serbia.
He explained that in the initial phase BLTC's can be a platform for marketing and sales, and that in the later stages they should develop into centers,wich have there own production, storage and logistics. In addition to the construction of these centers, the aim of the association SERBIO is to help ensuring the conclusion of a contract on the sale of on average at least 8,000 tonnes a year, which means 1,000 to 1,500 tons of energy in one center.
According to him, the key criteria for the opening of these centers are the existence of interested private investors and local administration, the existence of consumer awareness and demand on the market, as well as existence of potential. Based on that statement, there are already some potential locations recognized in Serbia, such as Nova Varoš, Priboj, Bajina Bašta, Šabac and Žitište.For four locations the feasibility study is already done, and by all accounts, the first logistics center will be opened in Bajina Basta, said Milijić. Also, he acquainted the trainees with the operational, investment and administrative costs, as well as the necessary technical equipment in the centers.
Ratko Todorović, B.E. in Forestry, spoke of the EU Regulation, wood trade and forest and products certification. He pointed out that the focus of the European regulation is on the ban of illegal felled timber trade and products of such wood in the EU market, and for this reason the operators must ensure the traceability of wood through the supply chain from the moment of logging onwards.
Đorđe Marić, Master Engineer in Forestry, recapped the supply and demand of biomass in the region and stressed the important questions that potential investors should pay attention to. He emphasized that it is important to know the quantity and quality of biomass, that is actually available in the chosen field and who are the potential suppliers and customers. He also explained, that the development of the BLTC is a very complex endeavor, that the methods, used to analyze environmental conditions, are the same as for any other type of investment and that in searching for sources of funding, all phases of the trend of replacement of fossil fuels by renewable energy sources should be used. For the centers to be successful, he said, all the factors of supply chain of the BLTC must have the economic, environmental and social benefits.
Since January 2015, The National Biomass Association SERBIO conducts the project BioRes by the name „Sustainable regional suply chains for woody bioenergy“. The project aims to establish logistics and trade centers for biomass (BLTC) and to increase the market share of domestic wood fuel of controlled quality and from forests that are sustainably managed. The project BioRES has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon2020 Research and Innovation Programm, in which are included nine partners from seven countries: Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Finland, Belgium, Bulgaria and Serbia.
„Serbian Visions 2016“ was a good opportunity to promote the BIORES project and our current results, as well as to promote our mobile app „BioRES calculator“ and our manuals for wood biofuel standards and quality control, with the aim of promoting sustainable supply chains for woody bioenergy. Info days BIORES project held during Serbian Visions will continue in December in Novi Sad.
