Dutch Biobased Energy Study Tour for Ukraine Energy Experts
Ukrainian delegation of energy experts visited the Netherlands on March 19-23 to study the Dutch expertise in biobased energy field. The tour has been organized within the PIB Biobased Energy Ukraine Project.
PIB Biobased Energy Ukraine is the Dutch public-private partnership established in 2015 to use the momentum of Ukraine energy sector transformation of switching from traditional fuels towards renewables as well as unlock enormous underestimated potential for biobased economy. The PIB is supported and financed by both the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate in the Netherlands, as by Dutch companies active in biobased energy in Ukraine.
Ukrainian delegation represented all three key components of the PIB’s activities, uniting 18 delegates from the state and local government, business community and educational institutions.
4-days program of the study tour included visits to 8 various Dutch sites and provided a great chance for Dutch and Ukrainian counterparts to get together and discuss the latest developments of the sector and implementation of the state policies in both counties. The group has also participated in the 5th Regional Innovation & Entrepreneurship Conference held in Enschede with this year’s focus on “New opportunities for rural areas”. A special panel session has been devoted there to new business models for the bio-energy sector in Ukraine. Group of researchers from Saxion University and National Technical University of Ukraine “KPI” have presented findings of a feasibility study done on direct processing of sugar beets to bioethanol in Ukraine. This study has been developed and financed within the K2K component of the PIB promoting a cooperation between Dutch and Ukrainian educational institutions in the field of biobased energy.
The study tour has also included site visits to Wageningen University Research Centre in Lelystad to see the DSD pilot installation for bioethanol production with application of betaprocess, biogas installations of HoSt at Waalwijk, Empyro plant producing pyrolysis oil developed by BTG-BTL in Hengelo and a municipal heating plant in Ede equipped with biomass boilers of KARA.
The group also took part at the RVO seminar on bioenergy policies and state support schemes in the Netherlands, where they also discussed sustainability certification of biofuels. Following the seminar the delegation visited Dutch Emissions Authority (NEA) in the Haag that is a responsible agency for certification of biofuel sustainability. The topic is very relevant to Ukraine today, since the country is establishing its legislation framework to support biofuel application in transport.
To conclude the week of intensive business program and acknowledge the openness for future cooperation the Netherlands and Ukraine signed the Memorandum of Understanding. This memorandum has been signed on March 21, 2018 in Utrecht by Mr. Barto Piersma, Director of the National Programs of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and Mr. Sergii Savchuk, Head of the State Agency of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of Ukraine.
With the MoU both parties expressed their willingness to support sustainable development and sustainable energy in Ukraine and the Netherlands, exchange information on realizing renewable energy and to bring companies and industries from both countries into contact to realize business in this area.
By Kateryna Kyrsta, PIB Biomass Liaison Ukraine.
