The Federation Council discussed the problems and prospects for the use of biofuels in public utilities

April 27, a meeting of the Expert Advisory Council on the forest complex under the Federation Council Committee on Agrarian Food Policy and Nature Management was held. The moderator of the round table "Problems and prospects for the use of biofuels in municipal energy" was Tatyana Gigel, Senator and Chairman of the Council. The Russian Forest Association was represented at the meeting by its first vice-president, member of the Council, Andrey Goncharov.

The results of last year’s work show that the industry avoided a critical fall and retained production volumes and personnel: in 2022, the production of the most important types of timber industry products amounted to 85 to 99% of the 2021 level. However, in two branches of the timber industry, a drop in volumes was recorded: the production of plywood and fuel pellets from woodworking waste decreased. The key reason for such a sharp drop is the refusal of traditional markets to purchase Russian goods. Export of fuel pellets decreased by 25%, sales of wood briquettes by domestic companies - by almost 50%. The decrease in exports amounted to about 600 thousand tons compared to 2021.

An integrated approach aimed at stimulating the domestic bioenergy market will create conditions for a guaranteed demand for wood fuel within the country.

• The list of instructions of the President of the Russian Federation based on the results of the meeting in the Arkhangelsk region reflects, among other things, the formation of the domestic Russian market for fuel pellets as a measure of state support for manufacturers. Also, in 2023 and 2024, additional loans in the amount of 15 billion rubles will be provided. for the modernization of existing boiler houses when they are converted to biofuel in the territories of subjects in the Far Eastern Federal District and the North-West Federal District.
• The Government of the Russian Federation, together with the executive authorities of the regions, must submit proposals by June 1 on equipping newly commissioned residential buildings (including individual residential buildings) with domestic biofuel boiler equipment.

Tatyana Gigel, member of the Federation Council, chairman of the Expert Advisory Council: “The capacity of the municipal energy market with its local generation, seasonal imports of certain types of fuel and closed systems that are not linked into a single energy circuit is optimal for our forest fuel.”

The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Federal Forestry Agency, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the professional and expert community.