World Bank Lends Belarus $90 Million For Wood Biomass Heating Projects

The World Bank has loaned US$90 million to the Republic of Belarus for converting municipal district heating stations from gas to biomass wood fuel.  The project involves the replacement of existing gas boilers by biomass boilers, provision of wood chipping equipment and biomass fuel storage facilities, installation of individual building-level heat substations with temperature control, and upgrading of district heating networks.

“Forest is one of Belarus’s richest natural resources. The full potential of wood biomass as alternative renewable energy resource has yet to be realized in Belarus,” stated Young Chul Kim, World Bank Country Manager for Belarus. “Using low-quality wood, now treated as industrial waste, for heat and power generation will also contribute to the development of the wood processing industry, and is consistent with the national overall strategy to encourage sustainable forest management. It also allows new jobs and business opportunities to be created in these sectors.”

Previously Belarus has relied on Russian gas to run its heating stations, and the Government of Belarus has a goal to replace this gas with local fuels, mainly biomass, by 32 percent in 2020. Further details and information are available on the World Bank's website at http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2014/03/31/world-bank-belarus-energy-sector.

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Jon