Germany to Boost Waste to Biofuel Production in Ukraine
Germany is to assist Ukraine establish domestic biofuel production capacity through the course of this year, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine (MAP). At the recent joint Ukraine-Germany council meeting, Jurgen Keinhorst, a the representative of the German Federal Ministry of Environment said that pilot projects in the sector may involve German investment. According to MAP, the meeting saw Ukrainian scientists present their draft projects for the pilot biofuel complexes, which would produce thermal power and biogas out of the agricultural waste using German technology and equipment. The Ministry added that currently the country has around 30 such projects. Viktor Tymoshchuk, expert at the Department of engineering and agricultural machinery, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, stated this in an interview with WNU. According Viktor Tymoshchuk, an expert from MAP's department of engineering and agricultural machinery, Ukraine-German scientific exchanges in the sector date back decades, but has intensified in 2006. The ministry said that in 2013 the two countries plan to take such cooperation to a new level with Ukraine's plans for advancing its biofuel production including the establishment of a pilot bio-energy village. Possessing a large agricultural sector that produces significant amounts of agricultural waste and manure, MAP said that Ukraine has a significant potential for bioenergy production. Tymoshchuk added that currently the country produces entry-level 700,000 tonnes of solid biofuel per year, by comparison to an average German biofuel plant which provides 800,000 tonnes of solid biofuel per year. First pilot plant In October 2012, Ukraine launched its first pilot project for solid biofuel production. The plant producing wood pellets is located in Turbiv, the urban-type settlement in Vinnytsia region, central western Ukraine. However, MAP said that the country has set its eyes on constructing a total of 10 such plants. Wood pellets will be produced with straw purchased from local farmers. Ukraine currently has six functioning biogas units. However, MAP explained that two additional poultry farms in western and southern Ukraine will start producing biogas by 2013. The volume of produced biogas is estimated to reach 30-35 million cubic meters. Additionally, the ministry said that Ukrainian poultry company, Agroholding Avangard (LSE:AVGR) aims to sell biogas to the EU and will cooperate with state owned Polish company PGNIG-energy.