Pellets for Power: sustainable biomass import from Ukraine : public final report

This project responds to the mismatch between on the one hand a growing demand for biomass on the Dutch and EU energy markets with a limited biomass potential and on the other hand large amounts of biomass and biomass potential currently underutilised in Ukraine. Ukraine itself is seen as a very promising location for sustainable biomass production but is also plagued by economic depression, land degradation, depopulation and high cost for natural gas. The Ukrainian company Phytofuel and the Belgian company Tuzetka recognized the opportunity. Together with Wageningen UR in The Netherlands they started the first experiments with switchgrass and also initiated pelletisation of straw and assessed the opportunity to use available reed stands in the Poltava region. The project aimed to: develop a sustainable business model for pelletizing biomass residues and biomass crops in Ukraine for domestic and NL energy markets; test sustainability of underutilized biomass use and energy crop production on marginal land while avoiding indirect Land Use Changes (iLUC).