'Energy willows' herald greener future at Balkan coal mines
21/10/2021 11:17
By Daria Sito-Sucic
TUZLA, Bosnia, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Fast-growing willow trees
may soon become a regular feature of parts of the Balkan
landscape if a pilot project at decommissioned coal pits in
Bosnia and Serbia, aimed at helping the countries' transition to
cleaner energy, bears fruit.
Able to grow up to two centimetres (one inch) a day, the
willows quickly reach harvestable height and can be burned
alongside coal in thermo-power plants.
"We planted 14,000 willows on one hectare (2-1/2 acres) of
land," said Izet Cickusic, a member of a team from Bosnian power
utility Elektroprivreda (EPBiH) working at the Kreka mine in the
northern town of Tuzla.
"We have identified a total of 450 hectares which could be
re-cultivated for that purpose."
Kreka, where the first willows were planted in May but have
remained stunted due to a summer drought, is EPBiH's largest
coal mine, but just three of its original 12 pits are still in
operation.
The trees were planted manually at a closed pit by around 50
miners who would otherwise have been made redundant. The first
harvest is expected after three years, and then every other year
over the following 25.
Bonnie Norman, president of EPBiH's U.S. partner in the
project, E3 International, said the trees were known as "energy
willows" because their heat value is greater than the brown
coal, or lignite, that is typically burned in Bosnia and
neighbouring Serbia.
"You can co-fire it at up to 20% within existing coal
boilers... It reduces the components of smog," she added.
EPBiH has identified suitable areas at two of the utility's
seven mines for testing the willows.
Across the border, where the trees are known as "Serbia's
oil", E3 International - which is funded by the Austrian
Development Agency - has planted the willows at four sites,
including a landfill and a coal mine.
Serbia, which like Bosnia does not plan to exit coal until
2050, currently generates two thirds of its electricity in
ageing coal-fired power plants.
A United Nations Development Programme study on short
rotation plantations has identified 1.6 million hectares of
degraded and abandoned agricultural land there.
"If we use a total of 75,000 hectares (for willows), that
can replace 10% of Serbia's coal-made energy ...(as) part of the
portfolio of (energy) solutions," Norman said.
(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; editing by John Stonestreet)
((daria.sito-sucic@thomsonreuters.com; +38733 295 484; Reuters
Messaging: daria.sito-sucic.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))