Light from Guca - Energoobnova puts biomass power plant in operation in spring 2012

eKapija web portal will again this year present Aurea awards for the best investments in 2011 in late March. The new cycle has already begun, and we have paid a visit to the companies whose projects were shortlisted for last year's awards to see how far they have gone with the development of their businesses.

The first Serbian biomass power plant, which was built over a year ago, should be put into operation this spring. The author of this innovative plant in Dragacica near Guca, mechanical engineer Milan Filipovic, explains that all missing funds have been provided and that he is now looking forward to the commissioning of the power plant that will be using corn silage and clover as fuel.

- If we exclude a EUR 25,000 startup loan of the Development Fund, the biomass power plant project has been completely financed by me, and that required time. However, all the missing funds are now provided, so we expect to put the plant into operation as soon as this winter ends - says Energoobnova's owner Filipovic, whose enthusiasm is the same now as it was when he started this project, which was last year nominated for the Aurea Award.

Milan Filipovic in front of the power plant in Dragacica (Photo: lična arhiva)

- We already have enough raw materials for the next year and half, and we have provided them from our own cultivated fields and from our collaborators. We also utilize our own capacities to transport and prepare silage – our interlocutor explains.

- Although we are capable of providing 100% of fuel from our own fields, our aim is, actually, to have 100% of raw materials supplied by our collaborators.

He says that this way of doing business will benefit everybody because he does not want to be the only one who makes profit.

- I believe that biogas power plants represent a development opportunity for Serbia because they can provide jobs for thousands of farmers - Milan Filipovic claims.

- This project is small, but multiply it by 10, and then by 10 again, and calculate the effects. We would employ as many workers as Zastava employs now, or even more! I have absolute trust in myself as well as others who are in similar business worldwide.

Our interlocutor does not miss any chance to stress the importance of construction of as many biogas digesters as possible.

- Germans have 6,000 large biogas plants, India has 3 million, while China has as many as 10 million small biogas plants. And what do we have? – Filipovic asks.

- Everywhere in the world such plants use the most various materials as fuel - slaughterhouse, bakery and dairy waste, waste from breweries, juice factories, fruit brandies...

Energoobnova's mini steam power plant in Dragacica utilizes a 600-cubic-meter digester with the nominal capacity of 75 kWh. This power plant will be consuming about 1,500 tonnes of biomass annually, and Filipovic explains that it can use "anything capable of rotting" as fuel. He expects the plant to be connected to Serbia's low-voltage grid until the end of 2012.

- The power plant will be producing humus and a liquid for fertilizing fields as by-products. In order not to waste the heat produced by the plant, we are currently making greenhouses that will be used to grow strawberries or similar crops.

(biomass on a farm in Dragacica)

At the end of our conversation, Milan Filipovic reveals to us that he is already working on a documentation for a new power plant, for which he will do its best to provide funds as soon as possible.

Ethnic village ready for guests

Our interlocutor also reveals that he expects the enthnic village he has built on his family estate in the vicinity of Guca to open this spring.

- That is, actually, a reconstructed family household that exists here since the 1920's. The complex comprises 18 facilities, a cellar for wine and brandy, a storage, a hot house, a bakery... – Filipovic explains.

Milan Filipovic's whole family works at this ethnic village.

M.S.