BIOMASS / BIOGAS

• Ukraine: granary of Europe + wood biomass in the Carpathians and in the north of the country, especially in forested areas
• High potential of biogas of landfills due to the large cities that are still not equipped
• Potential of farming biogas because of Ukraine’s peculiarity for large intensive livestock and producers of effluents
• Green tariff for Biomass is favorable for investors, Green tariff for Biogas pending approval by the Ukrainian Parliament 

Biomass in Ukraine

• In March 2010, 4 large factories (3/5 t/h) of pellets production and 3 port terminals are under construction
• Increase of the interest of producers to agricultural waste: sunflower hulls, straw, buckwheat hulls
• Most producers foresee cooperation with suppliers of boilers on biomass and the creation of regional warehouses
• Many municipalities are interested in converting their networks to biomass heat

Briquettes / Pellets in Ukraine

• In 2009 there were 155 plants of briquettes and 50 plants of pellets. Because of the crisis, 80% were cancelled or were not charged completely. 
• In 2009, 44 021,5 t of pellets of wood were produced. 95,1% of wooden pellets were exported. 2/3 of pellets were bought by the clients from Poland.
• In 2009, 29 978,8 t of wooden briquettes were produced that is 5,2% below 2008.
• Equipment suppliers are already presented in Ukraine (biomass boilers, dryers, pelletizers, etc.)).

Export of Briquettes / Pellets

(source : Fuel Alternative)

Biomass and Green tariff

• 01.04.2009 : New law «About Green Tariff» № 575/97-VR favorable for investors with very attractive tariffs favorable for investors with very attractive tariffs of 123.9 Euros/MWh
  • The law provides the connection to the grid for the producers of "green" energy
  • The price is guaranteed until 1st of January 2030
  • Indexing of "green" Tariff to the Euro is, thus, no risk of inflation
  • The law provides the obligation to repurchase all the "green" energy produced at the "green" cost

Biogas in Ukraine

2 types of projects:

• Energy recovery of biogas from municipal landfills
• Energy recovery of biogas from manure and agricultural waste

Definitions of the article 1 of the Ukrainian law "About Alternative Fuels"

Biofuel: solid fuel, liquid or gaseous product from the recovery of organic matter (biomass) that can be used as a fuel or a component of other fuels.

Biomass: biologically renewable organic substance, which breaks down biologically (waste from agriculture (crop and livestock), forestry and other branches of industry associated with these technologies, and the organic fraction of industrial and household waste).

Biogas and municipal landfills

The traditional solution of household waste elimination is to store it in the outskirts of cities in landfills, that have many disadvantages such as:

• Visual pollution and oflactory of the environment
• Firing risk
• Proliferation of pests
• Soil and ground water pollution
• Release of greenhouse gas of methane in the environment

Biogas is the spirit of the time. Globally, its exploitation is growing rapidly. In Ukraine, it is very recent activity, but still with few investment (almost exclusively foreigners) have been granted. One pilot project has emerged and few others are currently under operation.

The total mass of solid waste collected annually is around 15 million tons. Most waste from household waste (90%) is transported to landfills. тонн. Большинство отходов бытового происхождения (90%) вывозится на свалки.

The total number of landfills useful for the biogas production is estimated at 140, where 90 are the largest and contain 30% of landfills of household waste in Ukraine (the regional centers and cities with a population of more than 100 000 inhabitants). The energy potential of biogas from household waste and waste treatment plants is, thus, real. It is about 0.2 to 0.3 million tons of standard fuel per year over the 90 largest landfills.

The break for development is, thus, not the waste, but no doubt, absence of financing.

Ukrainian landfills, the most perspective for Biogas valorization
Collection basin >200 000 inhabitants
(Source: BETEN)

Biogas from manure and agricultural waste

Agricultural Biogas production may have a number of outlets:

• Production of simple methane
• Production of simple CO2
• Production of electric energy 
• Production of heat
• Production of fertilizers
• Production of fuel for the transport

In Ukraine, it can be produced about 5,6 billion m3 of biogas on farms per year from the agricultural waste, aviculture, agriculture plants, etc.
Energetic potential is equal to 40 millions of MWh.
Note that the Ukrainian government aims to increase the share of renewable energy sources from 0.83% to 20-25% by 2020 (Source : Fuel Alternative)

Types of livestock required

According to our information and provided quality of biomass produced, to justify the biogas plants construction, it’s necessary to consider the farms with a minimum number of animals:
Dairy cattle farms - 600 units per month;
Porcine farms - 6000 units per month;
Poultry farms - at least 200,000 units.

Advantages of biogas recovery systems

Economical advantages

• Income from the sale of produced energy - electricity and heat;
• The economy from operating costs (reducing consumption of natural gas, coal)
• The production of enriched manure for the needs and / or for sale.

Ecological advantages

• The combustion of methane and, thereby, the greenhouse gas emissions reduction;
• The level of odour control;
• Water protection.

Biogas and Green tariff

A draft of the law for the addition of Biogas to the law on the green tariff was submitted and approved in first reading by the Ukrainian Parliament in April 2011. The 2nd reading is previewed for July 2011, before final signature by the President.

The conditions and benefits of the law on green energy for the biogas would be the same as for other sources of alternative energy, with a coefficient that likely would range between 2.6 and 3, means between 140 and 160 Euros / MWh produced.