Regional Biogas Development Strategy and Action Plan - Tartu

1. Introduction
The European Union (EU) has set the target of increasing the share of biofuels and so-called
alternative fuels, including natural gas, in traffic to 10 and 20 %, respectively, by 2020.
According to directive 2009/28/EC, Estonia must ensure that 25 percent share of energy achieved
from renewable energy sources in gross final energy consumption with at least 10 percent share of
bio-fuels of final energy consumption in transport sector. Achieving these goals requires the work
in local and regional level. Biogas plays an important keyrole in achieving these goals.
The BIO-EN-AREA project aims at exchanging and transferring experiences among partners in
order to increase their capacities to favour and optimize the use of bioenergy. The major
objective is to improve regional policies for bioenergy, and help partners to draft or implement
their Regional Biomass Action Plan, as the main expected result and operational objective. There
is a need to have very good integration among regional policies for bioenergy and regional
planning policies because there is a strong link between the development of bioenergy and the
territories/areas – concerned at subregional level.
Biogas and Networks – BaN is a sub-project of BIO-EN-AREA project. Aim of this project is to
promote and the use of biogas as an alternative to fossil fuels in the participating areas.
Based on document “National Development Plan of the Energy Sector until 2020”, Estonian
Government must implement actions which increases share of renewable energy in total energy
consumption. For promoting renewable energy, many documents have been developed e.g
“Development plan 2007-2013 for enhancing the use of biomass and bioenergy” and “National
Renewable Energy Action Plan 2020”.
Biogas production from anaerobic digester presents the additional advantage of treating organic
waste and reducing the environmental impact of these wastes. It contributes to a better image of
the farming community while reducing odor, pathogens and weeds from the manure and
producing an enhance fertilizer easily assimilated by plants, generating also electricity, heat or
motor fuel.
Despite of few biogas producing units in Estonia, it should be noted that biogas field is very
young and still under development phase, concerning practical experience, know-how, political
contribution and subsidies. Considering the current economic situation in Estonia and the (un)
profitability of bio energy, it is clear that transfer to bio-energy will not take place withoaut a
political decision and subsequent financial methods. In the case of biogas, support mechanisms
should take into account the source of biogas, location and size. Therefore current document
focuses on implementation of Regional Biogas Development Strategy and Action Plan based on
acts, supports, current knowledge and local biogas potential considering situation and the
development of previous bioenergy surveys and analysis.
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