Development of Renewable Energy Resources and Improvement of Environmental Conditions

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Energy production costs from gas and oil resources have been increasing. Part of bio-degradable waste is stored in landfills. These problems could be addressed by developing energy forest and plantations business. Conditions for establishing this business will be collaboratively created by professionals in various domains also the students as voluntaries.The aim of the project is to create favourable conditions for the development of renewable energy resources business and improvement of environmental conditions in the Lithuanian-Latvian cross-border area. Objectives: - to investigate energy forest (fast-growing trees) and plantations cultivation, maintenance and management on the basis of applied scientific research adapted to the region; - to research forest soil fertilization opportunities by the usage of bio-degradable waste and wood ash;- to train potential energy forest and plantations cultivators, farmers and representatives of agricultural companies, in the region. Project partners: Šiauliai University (Lithuania) and Latvia University of Agriculture, Jelgava. Feasibility studies on energy forest and plantations cultivation will be done within the framework of the project. The researchers from the Faculty of Forestry, Latvia University of Agriculture, will analyse conditions, develop and produce training material, hold seminars and give advice on fast-growing tree cultivation in the agricultural lands of the region. The researchers from the Faculty of Technology, Šiauliai University, will analyse the composition of the sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants and of timber burning ash and their usage possibilities for energy forest and plantations fertilization; on the basis of Latvian scientists‘ recommendations they will develop and produce training material for energy forest and plantations cultivators (in 3 languages) and hold training seminars on field. Target groups, farmers and agricultural companies, will be provided with the information how energy production in timber boilers reduces dependence on gas and oil supply instability and its environment-friendly effect: when the sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants is used for forest fertilization, fast-growing trees utilise it and environmental conditions are improved; the energy forest and plantations utilizes carbon dioxide thus greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere are reduced. Within the framework of the project conditions will be created to start a new business development direction – energy forest cultivation, new job places will be created in forest production, maintenance, timber processing and its transportation to the end-user businesses. Informational material will be prepared and produced, seminars will be held and conditions for setting up and developing stable incomes generating business will be explained to the target group.

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