Promotion of regional bioenergy initiatives in Poland, Romania and Slovakia: Final report

The main activities of the project were analysis of the current bioenergy sector and policy at the starting phase of the project: support to regional bioenergy initiatives by preparing regional bioenergy Action Plans and their follow-ups: initiating bioenergy pilot projects by producing feasibility studies for the pilot cases: and strong training input by organising local-level and international training events for entrepreneurs as well as publishing the sector-specific guidebook in English, Polish, Romanian and Slovak languages. In terms of results, the project produced 17 feasibility studies, 12 letters of commitment and involved 27 companies in the project development processes. The project experience will be replicated in the other regions inside the target countries. About 400 people participated in the different project events and three contracts for biomass supply and two contracts in woody biomass investments were signed during the project lifetime. RES, based on heat and power production, generated a capacity of 31 megawatts (MW), with 72,000 tonnes of wood chips and sawdust mobilised and 20 new jobs created. New investments amounted to 6 million in the target countries. The new renewable energy production was equivalent to 16,000 tonnes of oil per year (toe/year) and 19,000 toe/year primary energy savings were generated. Annually, 45,000 tonnes of CO2 GHG emissions were reduced. The major challenges in the target countries for the positive development of the use of woody biomass RES in energy production are forest ownership arrangements, entrepreneurship, country-specific support schemes for the sector and the other institutional framework developments.