In the organization of the Assembly of AP Vojvodina, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and the National Biomass Association SERBIO, more than 200 domestic and foreign participants, representatives of various levels of government, experts in the field of energy, producers, businessmen and users of biomass, discussed legal frameworks, green energy projects, examples of good practice in our country and European countries, about the potentials and possibilities for greater use of biomass and other renewable energy sources on a two-day International Conference „Biomass – Potential for Growth“ in Novi Sad.

On the first day of the conference, November 16th, the participants were greeted by the President of the Assembly of AP Vojvodina, Istvan Pastor, the deputy chairman of the Assembly of AP Vojvodina, Damir Zobenica, while the conference was opened by the Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry in the Government of the Republic of Serbia Branislav Nedimović.

Minister Nedimovic said that biomass is a completely usual source of energy in the 21st century, but that there is not enough developed awareness in Serbia, adding that it will not be easy to disrupt the use of biomass and that all local-level functionaries must boldly enter that job.

In this regard, a special emphasis was put on the active role of the regions and local self-governments, which was confirmed at the conference by the presence of representatives from all 45 municipalities in Vojvodina.

In the introductory part of the conference devoted to market development, Heinz Kopetz, President of the World Association for the Exploitation of Energy from Biomass, and Peter Canciani, from the Central European Initiative CEI, also had their own speeches.

After introductory presentations and discussions dedicated to the development of the biomass market, the participants discussed the quality of biomass in the second part of the conference. In the second part, the president of the National Biomass Association SERBIO, Nataša Rubežić, adressed the participants and presented the basic initiators of public policy in favor of renewable energy sources, the advantages of using biomass, as well as its potentials primarily in Vojvodina.

Participants in the conference agree that it is necessary to work permanently on the energy transition towards self-sustainability, the development of renewable energy market and their increased use, with the aim of achieving energy security and independence and ensuring a healthier environment.

After the introductory and professional presentation of the first day of the conference, on the second day, November 17th, participants learned about examples of good practice in terms of resource generation and the use of biomass and other renewable energy sources in Vojvodina through study visits. They visited the heating plant in Sremska Mitrovica where they talked to the management about the way they work and produce energy from agrobiomass, i.e. from the sunflower husk.

After that, the conference participants visited the branch of the Institute for Lowland Forestry and Environment in Kac, near Novi Sad, where they visited the experimental fields and talked with the management about the creation and application of new technologies in forestry and agro-forestry systems, as well as the formation of new woody biomass resources in AP Vojvodina.