Increasing pellet production in public buildings!

The topic of biomass and renewable energy sources is on a high list of European and Croatian priorities. That was demonstrated yesterday at the 8th International Energy Conference held in Zagreb organized by the Croatian Wood Cluster and CROBIOM. The importance of the topic is shown by the presence of representatives of five ministries from Croatia and the region. There was also a number of parliamentarians led by Dark Horvat, the deputy of the president of the Parliament, Mr Jandroković, and two MPs from the European Parliament, Jozo Radoš and prof. Dr. Davor Škrlec. It is also a fact that the wood industry and the whole forest-based sector are of crucial importance to the whole economy. Although the sector, which accounts for 1% of world pellet production, points to the lack of support in strategic documents, it still has a large number of investments and jobs, especially in rural areas.

The president of Croatian Biomass Association, Raoul Cvečić Bole, pointed out that most of the wood pellets ended up in export. “We export over 80% of total 280,000 tons because we do not have too much interest in wood pellets in Croatia. That is why we are asking for better positioning in the energy balances and strategies of the Republic of Croatia. After that, its use on the Croatian market would certainly be greater,” Bole concluded.

The conference was opened by the Minister of Environment and Energy, dr.sc. Tomislav Ćorić, who emphasized the need to increase domestic pellet consumption through increased awareness and greater use in the public sector. This year will be marked by the change of Renewable Energy Sources and Highly Effective Cogeneration Law and the new Energy Development Strategy. Minister stated that those documents point to the importance of the sun, water, wind and biomass, which should be the new energy mix of Croatia by 2030.

Over 230 participants took part at the conference, including the Croatian Forestry Directorate Ltd., the main supplier of raw materials for the wood industry. The conference was also attended by wood processing companies, pellet producers, existing cogeneration plants and in preparation, technology vendors, representatives of institutions and local self-government units from Croatia and the region, the most important domestic and European sectoral associations, investors, banks and many others biomass and renewable energy sources in the immediate area of interest.

World Bioenergy Associations (WBA) President Remigio Lapinskas stated that Croatia has huge untapped potential.  At the conference, the Declaration on Bioenergy between WBA and CROBIOM was signed, which President Lapinskas expressed important support and continuation of future cooperation in this sector.

More at: www.wood-energy.info