Biomass-Based Heating in the Western Balkans - A Roadmap for Sustainable Development

A reliable and sustainable energy supply in the Western Balkan (W-B) region is essential to support the region’s economic growth and pave the way toward European Union (EU) accession for its constituent nations. W-B countries, through energy community, adopted obligation to implement the European Union’s renewable energy directive, and have binding targets for energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. According to a regional study conducted in 2010, the use of biomass for heating is estimated to be the most cost-efficient solution to meet the 2020 targets, and thus, is expected to account for the bulk of the renewable energy mix in 2020. This report is intended primarily to address policy makers and biomass-heating industry stakeholders (biomass suppliers, manufacturers of heating appliances, installers, and investors and project developers), but also the scientific community, civil society organizations, and end-users in the W-B countries. This report is structured as follows: Chapter 2 provides an overview of biomass use in W-B countries; Chapter 3 provides an overview of heat demand in W-B countries; Chapter 4 reviews the existing use of biomass for heating, and then estimates the potential for increasing biomass use in a sustainable manner; Chapter 5 evaluates economic and financial impact of biomass-based heating; Chapter 6 analyzes the barriers preventing greater use of biomass for heating; Chapter 7 examines where biomass-based heating can best be increased in an economically viable manner, then indicates how this potential may help the region meet its renewable energy targets; and finally, Chapter 8 sets forth recommendations for policy makers and presents a roadmap, with preliminary cost estimates, for their implementation.