The Republic of Belarus belongs to the group of countries without their own considerable energy and fuel resources (EFR). The EFR include: crude oil, natural gas, peat, water resources and biomass. Belarus’ own power resources satisfy 15-17% of its EFR requirement.

There are practically no other sources of energy in Belarus other than those of renewable character. Therefore, the share of renewable energy amounts to 80% of the country’s own EFR.

At present, the Republic of Belarus is in the process of implementing the “Target electricity and heat provision program for achieving at least 25% of industrial production with the use of local types of fuel and alternative sources of energy by the year 2012". In order to provide 25% of electricity and heat with the use of local EFR, it is necessary to boost their production up to 5.93 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) per year, and to use the secondary resources such as heat energy, as well as primary resources from wind turbines and biogas in the amount of 0.82 Mtoe per year. In light of the above, the plans assume that by the year 2012 the use of local energy resources, including secondary heat resources, wind, solar and biomass energy, will be increased by 2.8 Mtoe. So far emphasis has been placed on the implementation of the program focused on the use of wood and wood waste. The potential of other renewable sources of energy is not taken advantage of to a significant degree.

The complete text in English can be downloaded here in English and in Russian.

Iryna Usava – a graduate of the National Belarusian University (NBU), the faculty of biology, she completed a post-graduate programme in “Territorial Planning in Europe” (in Karskruna, Sweden) and obtained the title of PhD (at NBU). She is currently working in an engineering and consulting energy company “ENEKA” and has been the head of an international social organization “Ekoproject”.
G.W.Kuźmicz – works at the engineering and consulting energy company “ENEKA”.