BIOMASS OUR POSSIBILITY – ECHOES OF THE NATIONAL CONFERNCE ON BIOMASS
25.2.2011
“We provided a step towards removing of non technical barriers, but we have a long way, that in Serbia and City of Nis start with mass use of biomass in energetic purposes – this is just one of conclusions of National Conference on biomass, that is held last week in Nis, within realization of the project of consortium of civil society “Agrovet Management Project” and “EKOpolis”.

At this meeting,  which represents final activities on the project “Non-technical barriers for using of biomass in energetic purposes”, representatives of public, civil and private sector, had possibility to inform with analysis of legal administrative, financial, economical, social and informative barriers and measures for its implementation. Conference about biomass in Nis gathered about 80 representatives of interested sides from the territory of whole Republic of Serbia.

In the name of SECTOR II Program and Regional Center for Protection of Environment for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), participants of National conference welcomed by Zorica Korac, manager of the program and expert of environment protection. She highlighted that this project activities is achieved in Serbia through financial support of Swedish  International Development  Agency (SIDA) and that they have important role in further development of civil sector and local communities on the way of European integrations.
In the previous period, with reform of energetic system of Serbia, experts for energetic more talk about plans and projects that should to encourage small producers of electrical energy to invest. And it is question what is really going on  in Serbia, how is that question regulated in the countries of European Union? We are in this project – organizers of this meeting, asked the key question. “Which obstacles await investors? With what will potential investor meet when he would have the desire to invest in renewable energy sources? How long will last the acquisition of permits, as and which permits for building of object should provide and for low long will such investment will pay off? Whether it is in Serbia at all possible to build a private power plant with renewable sources? ”
According to Ivan Pavlovic, project manager in Administration of Agriculture and Rural Development - in order to achieve politics of implementation of sustainable forms of energy in our environment we wanted to get know, which breaks exists on the level of state for investment in plants on biomass and which resources and interests on the level of local self government? Which measures should carry out in the order of reform of energetic sector to practical use of biomass become reality. In discussion with representatives of the City of Nis, Administrations, Region, with potential investors and organizations of civil society, and on this occasion are seen possibilities of integration of recommendations in working plans. 

Use of biomass and other SSE usually it is not regulated by low, but sub low. That does not provide security to investors for investments in our country, highlighted in his presentation Velibor Petkovic. Analyzing legislative barriers, he argued that investment in sustainable sources of energy have to be regulated by low in new Low of Energy of Republic of Serbia. Marko Stojiljkovic, from Mechanical Faculty in Nis, represented scenario – analysis of project condition of using electricity with emphasis on biomass. In Analysis of financial barriers of using of biomass in energetic purposes, Maja Ivanovic Djukic, from Faculty of Economy in Nis reminded that the introduction of “feed in” tariff good but not sufficient incentive to potential investors. “Should be introduced and many other forms subsidies to encourage use of biomass, as and ecological tax, “green license” and other mechanisms discourage use of fossil fuels, highlighted Ivanovic. She indicated on possibility that is on the level of local self government possible organize micro credit organizations and local guarantee funds, which with providing advices related to credit, interest rate subsidies, provision of guarantees can facilitate access to credit funds. Dragan Petkovic is to participants of National conference about biomass presented funds of EU for investments in area of practical use of biomass and explained administrative procedures when applying and Milan Golubovic explained  “Approach to creating business plan”. Analyzing economical barriers, Mr. Goran Vuckovic, president of the Council of energetic efficiency of City of Nis said: “ We provided step to investment not technical barriers, but we have a long way, that in Serbia and Nis start with mass use of biomass in energetic purposes.
In a very comprehensive research of public attitudes of using biomass in energetic purposes, that presented Milos Stojadinovic, project manager in City Municipality of Palilula (www.palilula.eu), the largest number of examinee, convincingly (41%) finds that biogas has the highest potential, while the other species of biomass have equal potential in the future (32%), with slightly increased potential of sawdust (36%). As one of important barriers for realization of  bio energetic projects, 75% of examinee finds that investment costs is crucial. High prices of equipment for production and the exploitation, bad general economical situation, lack of financial incentives, monopoly in the market, security prices of bio fuels compared to fossil..

Participants of Nis` conference of biomass highlighted that is for achieving of goals necessary to advance financial support, especially increase involvement of local self government, allow to investors credit but and grant for investment in plants of SSE. Low regulative urgently harmonized with European standards, improve the flow of information and allow networking and education of existing and potential producers renewable sources of energy. In this important role have examples of good praxis (EU models..) as and systematic attraction of investors and project financing of project sustainable forms of energy from EU and domestic funds. In one years work on this project – according to Ana Ilic, manager in consortium of the project (www.biogenerator.avm.rs) it was held four workshops and two roundtables where was discussed about barriers within legal – administrative, financial, economical. social and informational issues on the level of EU and Serbia. For promotional activities of goals of project and  information of citizens. One years project, consortium of organizations of civil society “Agrovet Management Project” and “EKOpolis”, realized is in cooperation with Administration of Agriculture and Rural Development, Administration of Economy, Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection, Administration for Communal Services, Energy and Traffics of City of Nis, Agriculture Professional Service “Nis” d.o.o, PUE “Gorica”, Lumber Camp Nis, NTV, TV “Zona” and RTV “Banker”. At this meeting team of media “EKOpolis” network (www.ekopolis.tv) presented and results of media component of the project. It was shown TV spots of campaign, TV reports and programs that have occurred in certain phases of work on the project. To the participants of the conference is divided printed materials – flyers about biomass “biomass new possibility and examples of good praxis”.