Waste, especially organic, can be an important energy source for generating electricity and thereby protecting the environment. Therefore, the BIOREAL Project in Veles presented the results of the conducted research on the Utilization of Organic Waste from the Wine Industry, as well as the Opportunities for Utilization of Other Organic Waste in the Vardar Planning Region in the Republic of North Macedonia.
The research was conducted for the needs of the Public Utility Company "Derven", Veles, under the BIORAL Project, as part of the IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program between the Republic of Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia. The findings of the study are aimed at sustainable and efficient utilization of organic waste resulting from the wine industry in the Vardar region as well as identifying opportunities for utilization of other organic waste in the region, in order to optimize and more efficiently manage the processes of utilization of organic waste.
According to technical expert Slavjanka Pejcinovska Andonovska bio-waste and biodegradable waste can be used in many ways to protect nature and enable development at local and state level.
Bio-waste is a major problem, so the use of biomass for eco fuel and energy is one of the key proposals by environmental expert Zdravko Andonov that investing in the construction of a plant for biogas can be returned in a period of 8 years. There is also a benefit to potential investors who would produce electricity with a capacity of at least 1 MW. Successful examples already exist in the Tetovo and Bitola regions, and at the event Saso Velkovski, the mayor of Sveti Nikole municipality revealed that they have granted permission to build a biogas plant that will work close to the local MIK meat processor.
The main purpose is to illustrate the possible ways in which this specific waste can be treated and utilized, including the possibility of using it as an energy source for electricity and / or heat generation, the possibility of using feed-in tariffs for alternative uses energy sources and outline opportunities for concluding local public-private partnerships and enhancing co-operation between relevant stakeholders.
The solutions offered will be aimed at the systematic utilization of this specific waste, with the main focus on reducing environmental pressure and enabling more rational use of resources.