Grodno Oblast mulls over solar panel manufacturing

There are plans to set up a production of flexible and small solar panels in Grodno Oblast, BelTA learnt from executive Director of the Renewable Energy Association Vladimir Nistyuk.

An agreement has been reached to build a solar panel plant in Belarus, which is to be located in Grodno District. Vladimir Nistyuk believes there is a need to make use of all known energy saving and production methods, with the majority of them already known to Belarus. They just need to be implemented. “Grodno Oblast is the country’s pioneer and leader in renewable energy. A hydroelectric power plant has been built there and it is up and running at full capacity ahead of schedule. In Novogrudok District there is a wind-power unit which power takeoff makes up 31%, which is more efficient than any wind-power unit on the continental shelf in Europe. The region has ambitious plans in line with the national program on the development of local and renewable energy resources for 2011-2015, and all existing resources should be used to implement them. It is important to find the relevant partners and help fulfill the plans,” he said.

According to Vladimir Nistyuk, by 2015 the city of Grodno should cover up to 35.8% of its needs in energy with the help of its own resources (the figure for Grodno Oblast is 30.7%). To compare: Europe plans to reach the share of 20% in domestic resources by 2020. By 2015 Grodno Oblast is expected to commission biogas complexes and units with the total electrical capacity of cogeneration plants amounting to 55.2MW.

Apart from that, Grodno Oblast also plans to install 23 solar water heaters. Solar plants will be installed first of all in recreation camps Belkard and Grodnotextil. Four collectors will be set up in OAO Grodno Bus Fleet and one in OAO Grodnooblavtotrans.

According to the executive director, Grodno Oblast shows good wind potential. The companies, New Formation and Small Energy, are taking part in the development of new wind mills in Grodno Oblast with the total capacity of 6MW. Among the future plans is also a wind mill in Dyatlovo District (about 30MW) and in Novogrudok (1.5-10MW). Another promising project is chip fuel production for boilers running on local fuels and small CHP plants. By late 2015 Grodno Oblast is expected to produce 268,000 cubic meters of chip fuel a year.

According to Vladimir Nistyuk, today Belarus has all necessary resources to develop renewable energy: the association, government bodies, financial, innovation and consulting organizations. According to the data, in January-June 2013 Belarus reduced the import of electricity by 3.6% as compared with the same period in 2012 to 3639 million kWh or by 7.2% to $219.6 million in money terms. The task is to take a more active part in implementing innovation technologies in energy, i.e. build small hydroelectric power plants, produce energy out of biogas, use solar energy to the maximum, upgrade the existing plants in order to enhance energy efficiency, construct energy-efficient dwelling. Besides, the oblast should actively adopt foreign experience, cooperate with educational institutions and civil organizations, use energy management potential, etc.