PKB's biomass to heat schools, hospital and greenhouses - Serbia and Switzerland launch joint pilot project

Representatives of Serbia and Switzerland on Wednesday signed an agreement on a joint pilot project for the production of heat and electric energy from biomass found in the fields owned by Poljoprivredna Korporacija Beograd (PKB), Tanjug news agency reported.

The agreement calls for investments of EUR 7.5 million in renewable energy sources and improved energy efficiency in Serbia, the Ministry of Energy said in a release.

The agreement was signed by Minister of Energy Zorana Mihajlovic, Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas, and Swiss Ambassador to Serbia Jean-Daniel Ruch.

The goal of the project is using biomass to produce heat and electric energy for the heating of PKB plastic greenhouses in Padinska Skela near Belgrade, as well as a nearby school and psychiatric hospital. Eletctric energy will also be sold to national power company Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS).

Investments in a new facility will total EUR 2.58 million, same as in energy efficiency projects, while investments in infrastructure will amount to EUR 2.57 million.

This is the first project in Serbia to combine the production of heat and electric energy from renewable sources, and it is expected to serve as a model for energy production in other parts of the country.