An enterprise for the production of fuel briquettes from straw will be created in the Beryslav community. They will heat the kindergarten. They will also implement an energy management system and spread the experience of using biofuel to other communal institutions and households in the region.
Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, nine months of occupation and hostilities, that took place on the territory of the Berislav city community provoked a powerful energy crisis. Destroyed high-voltage power lines, damaged gas distribution systems. Reconstruction of the infrastructure requires significant money and time. Therefore, the community decided to create an alternative to coal and gas and to use local biofuel - straw - for heating buildings.
With support “U-LEAD with Europe” the project "Increasing the energy independence of the Berislav city community by creating the production of fuel briquettes" is being implemented here, which provides for the organization of briquette production and the creation of an energy management system. A public organization received a local U-LEAD subsidy for this initiative “TAKE AND GLORY“.
The community is agrarian. After de-occupation and demining, several agricultural enterprises continue to function on its territory, which can provide supplies of significant volumes of straw.
"As part of the project, we will purchase a line for the production of fuel briquettes with the capacity of the equipment 300 kg of ready-made briquettes for 1 an hour. A trial batch of products will be used to heat one of the kindergartens in our community. And we will purchase raw materials from local farmers", - said the head of the NGO “TAKE AND GLORY” Natalia Starodubets. And added, that the use of fuel briquettes for heating communal facilities will not only save money from the local budget, and will become an example of the use of an available ecological local energy resource.
Activists plan to popularize alternative fuel and conduct informational and explanatory events for community residents. Representatives of local self-government will be told about the production of briquettes and the effectiveness of their use. They will talk with farmers about the importance of processing straw into fuel and the benefits of supplying this raw material. They will also hold meetings with residents regarding the expediency of using biofuel for heating their own homes.
"Establishing briquette production will develop our community. Every year after the harvest in the fields and the Beryslav community, and a huge amount of straw remains on the territory of Beryslav district. If it is processed into fuel briquettes, high-calorie coal can be saved. Besides, own renewable energy sources can become a powerful stimulus for the development of the local economy", Nataliya Starodubets noted.
Straw briquettes are inexpensive, ecologically clean, caloric fuel, which meets Euro standards. Fuel briquettes made of straw can be burned in large boiler rooms and small boilers, grubkah, oven. No unpleasant smell spreads during burning, they hardly smoke, do not shoot and do not spark, do not form soot and carbon monoxide.
"The communities of the Kherson region are in a very difficult situation: part is occupied, part suffers from shelling, trying to restore the destroyed infrastructure. Importantly, that with the support of U-LEAD, the Beryslav community will be able to implement the project, which will give her hope for energy independence, will create additional jobs, will improve the environment and help economic development. Confident, that this practice of the Berislav community will become an example for others", - noted Oksana Silyukova, head of the regional office “U-LEAD with Europe” in the Kherson region.