Wind Vision to build biomass power plant in Kikinda - EUR 15 million investment

Kikinda Mayor Savo Dobranic and Director of the Belgian-Dutch company Wind Vision Jaap-Jan Ferweda have signed a cooperation agreement, thus creating conditions for future cooperation in the production of electricity and heat from biomass. Negotiations on the implementation of this project began a year ago, whereas the signing of aforementioned agreement makes the beginning of the investment official.

- This project is about new, renewable sources of energy. The agreement is also significant for farmers as they will now be able to generate an additional income. All biomass from fields, which has so far been burnt or plowed over, will now be sold to a new company that is about to be formed. People in our municipality will be provided with a more secure and cheaper energy - Dobranic pointed out.

The director of Wind Vision said that his company and the Kikinda municipality had been working together over the last year to define a project without a precedent in Serbia.

- A power plant for generating both heat and electricity will be built in the first phase. The second phase will see the construction of a power plant with the same capacity to reinforce the first one. We will be responsible for funding, engineering, and work on the project. The future biomass power plant will be using straw, corn, wheat and other crops as raw materials, which will be supplied from the municipality, while gas will be produced at a gasification plant. The generator will be producing electricity, whereas a by-product will be heat that will be sent to the remote heating system - said Jaap-Jan Ferweda.

Belgian Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia Allen Kundicki added that he was glad that a cooperation had been established with the municipality of Kikinda.

This project will also be in compliance with all environmental protection regulations and laws. It will satisfy all major energy needs, help reduce the emission of harmful gases, and contribute to the creation of new jobs and better living standard.

The investment worth EUR 15 million will make it possible for the citizens of Kikinda to be supplied with heat during the entire year. The local self-government will be able to determine the price of heating as well as attract investors looking for a cheaper and more secure energy. This project should be implemented by October 2014.