Belarus to use $54m of IBRD funds for energy efficiency projects in 2012

MINSK, 2 March (BelTA) – In 2012 Belarus is going to utilize $54 million of funds provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to implement energy efficiency projects, BelTA learnt from the energy efficiency department of the State Committee for Standardization. This year Belarus will keep implementing two investment projects using the IBRD funds. The first one is aimed to enhance energy efficiency in the country. The bank will provide a $125 million loan for the purpose. The project will run in 2009-2014. This year Belarus is going to utilize $43.3 million of IBRD’s loan. The project envisages the upgrade of the boiler department of the Zhodino CHPP in Borisov (the loan is estimated at $87.1 million) and a local boiler house in Mogilev ($22 million), boiler houses in Rechitsa ($6.65 million), Oshmyany ($3 million), Borisov ($1.7 million), village of Ruba, Vitebsk Oblast. The project is expected to save 86,300 tonnes of fuel equivalent. The total reduction of carbon dioxide emissions will make 137,000 tonnes per year. Belarus continues with the project to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster (an additional loan). The IBRD is expected to allocate $30 million for the project. This year $10.7 million will be utilized. The project will be completed in 2013. As part of the project to enhance energy efficiency, Belarus will upgrade 11 boiler houses, replace windows and carry out thermo-renovation of 39 facilities and introduce energy efficient lamps at 42 educational and healthcare facilities. Besides, the project envisages provision of gas services to over 1,500 houses. The project is expected to save 19,900 tonnes of fuel equivalent. The total reduction of carbon dioxide emissions will make 4,400 tonnes per year. The energy efficiency department of the State Committee for Standardization together with the office of the World Bank is considering a possibility to implement a new project to use biomass in power engineering. At the first stage of the project in 2012-2013 experts will analyze technical and economic viability of various technological schemes to use biomass for heating. Experts will also prepare proposals to improve and harmonize with the EU standards some Belarusian regulations in order to implement the major stage of the project. At the second stage in 2013-2017 Belarus will use a loan of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to upgrade boiler houses and transform them into mini-CHPP in several towns.

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