Belarus Solar PV, Wind Energy and Biogas Power Market 2014 and 2015

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Targets for Belarus towards 2020 are to reduce the GDP energy intensity as compared to the level of 2005 at least by 50 % in 2015, and at least by 60 % in 2020, and to ensure use of domestic energy resources (including renewables) in the energy balance for production of heat and electricity. The share of domestic energy resources including RES in the energy balance for the production of heat and electricity to reach 28 % in 2015, and 32 % in 2020.

The potential of wind energy in Belarus is estimated to equal 1.9 – 2.0 Mtoe per year. The potential of wind farm energy is estimated at 220 billion kWh. The potential of solar energy for production of electricity is estimated at 1.0–1.25 Mtoe per year.

Belarusian developer OOO Ecological Energy, a company with Belarusian-Lithuanian-Russian capital, is planning the construction of a 17 MW solar power plant in Smorgon District, Grodno Region, Belarus, according to local press agency Belta. The company will invest around $40 million in the project, which will be developed in three phases. The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in late 2015.

The wind power sector development in Belarus was started with small wind farms, which have been put into operation in the beginning of 2004. The wind power capacity in the country remained relatively unchanged in the last 5 years and reached only 6 MW at the end of 2013.

By the end of 2015 some 25 bio gas plants are planned to be built in Belarus according to senoir government officials. At present, the largest biogas plant in the country has a production capacity of 4.8 MW.

Belarus has been widely criticized for its authoritarian regime and therefore neglected by most businesses from Western Europe, UK and USA. However Belarus has expectedly negotiating and welcome renewable energy investors from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and China.

More information about this renewable market you may read here: CIS Countries Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Market Outlook 2013 - 2018 and here: CIS Countries Wind Power Market Outlook 2013 - 2018