A consortium of Dutch, Ukrainian and Belgian institutes and companies led by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research is to develop a business model for producing certified sustainable biomass pellets in the Ukraine for export markets and for local fuel production. The project responds to the growing demand for sustainable biomass on the energy markets and explores the largely untapped potential of the Ukraine.
Biomass Chains
Researchers will investigate biomass chains based on currently underutilized byproducts; straw and reed. Also potential biomass chains based on switchgrass and Miscanthus will be researched because of their low input /high yield energy properties. The chains will be assessed for compliance with sustainability standards (NTA-8080) and for desired economic impact.
Ukraine’s potential
The project aims to develop the potential of 1 to 5 million of hectares of land that are currently un- or underutilized in the Ukraine (as in other countries in Eastern Europe). Switchgrass and Miscanthus field experiments will be carried out in different soil types, with varying levels of fertility and management systems. By using this surplus land undesired competition for food and agricultural land should be avoided. Straw availability is estimated at more than 10 million tons yearly, much of which is currently burned in the field. Reed from natural areas is also often burned. The project will develop methods for harvesting this underutilized biomass in a sustainable way, thus opening possibilities for tapping into large biomass potentials for production of electricity, heat and second generation biofuels and chemicals.
Sustainable Biomass Import
This project responds to the observed mismatch between on the one hand a growing demand for biomass on the Dutch and E.U. energy markets for generation of "green energy" and on the other hand huge amounts of biomass currently not utilised in the Ukraine, a country plagued by economic depression, land degradation, depopulation and lack of economic heating fuel on the local level. The use of this biomass as an energy source should reduce the emission of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. At the same time, it will generate local employment and address local energy needs.
Consortium
In this consortium, research institutes Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, Alterra-part of Wageningen UR- and Poltava State Agrarian Academy take part, as well as the companies Tuzetka (Bel), Phytofuels (UA) and Control Union (NL). On March 11 the Minister of Economic affairs (Maria van der Hoeven) presented the subsidies to the 7 awarded projects. Funding comes from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs under the Sustainable Biomass Import programme. The Sustainable Biomass Import programme aims to give an impulse to the development of an economy based on biomass for chemistry, transportation fuels and energy.
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