Background

As a part of the international efforts to improve economic and living conditions for the populations of the regions affected by the Chernobyl disaster, the European Commission contracted a study financed from the TACIS 1992 and 1994 nuclear safety programmes to investigate the technical, economic and financial interest in promoting and developing alternative energy sources in the form of biodiesel and other seed oil use options in Belarus, with the additional interest of assisting with soil decontamination in the region.  The project was a follow-up to a similar study in Ukraine, financed under the TACIS programme (not nuclear safety) supporting agricultural development in Ukraine and carried out by the same contractor.

Objectives

The objectives of the project were to:

• Assess the potentially viable seed oil and biodiesel options based on rape seed cultivation and treatment.
• Assess the potential remediation options for contaminated areas by means of rape seed cultivation and treatment in the context of a suitable crop rotation pattern.
• Suggest further technology transfer and investment studies for identified promising options and recommend other follow-up activities.

The expected activities of the project were as follows:

• analysis of the macro-economic and policy context;
• set-up of an energy and agricultural scenario;
• analysis of rape seed production;
• analysis of rape seed treatment, processing and use options;
• evaluation of biodiesel use focusing on the agricultural sector;
• analysis of remediation/decontamination and environmental issues.

Results

The contract was signed in July 1995 and was implemented until June 1996 in accordance with the contract requirements.  The contract was originally expected to be completed in January 1996, but the contract was extended by 5 months.

Further details on the results of the project can be found in the attached executive summary of the Final Report dated May 1996.