Organization of straw-to-energy systems in Ukraine and Scandinavia

Ukraine (UA) faces broad needs for energy security enhancement, energy diversification, revitalization of agriculture, and improvements in the state of the environment. UA has large biomass-for-bioenergy potential, which can be leveraged to contribute to local/regional energy self-sufficiency, rural development and diversification, and environmental improvement via fossil fuel substitution with local and more sustainable biofuels. However, the manner in which biomass energy utilization is emerging is poorly documented and its organizational basis is not well understood. This work focuses on bioenergy from agricultural waste as an early emergent area. It applies cross-case analysis to nine straw-fired installations in UA. Analysis yields three straw-based frameworks for organization and action, including small-scale local heat production, small-scale local straw production for municipal fuel provision, and medium-scale straw combustion for district heating (DH). The UA context is then compared to more advanced agro-bioenergy sectors in Sweden (SE) and Denmark (DK) to delineate crucial factors for the growth of UA's embryonic sector. The study finds that evolution of individual business entrepreneurship qualities and knowledge dissemination are key parameters to move the sector forward at small to medium scale, while stable and targeted incentive based systems, national government support, and collective bioenergy stakeholder action are required for advance to medium and large scales. Barriers to the expansion of bioenergy in UA include low access to technology and funding, and a lack of knowledge on bioenergy funding schemes, and bioenergy in general. The outcomes of the paper are principally transferable to other transition economies (EiTs). (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Lt