Comp C: Organisation and conducting of the International Forum “Investments in Renewable Energy for Sustainable Energy Development” (AHEF.087.BY)

Objective

More than 80 foreign investors and project developers interested in the Belarusian renewable energy market as well as policy makers and other stakeholders in Belarus participated in the International Forum “Investments in Renewable Energy for Sustainable Energy Development” held on 22-23 April 2014. The Forum was co-organised by the INOGATE Technical Secretariat, the State Committee on Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus and the EBRD/CEI Project “Belarus: Capacity building of the Renewable Energy Association (REA) for active involvement in decision making processes”. This 2-day event was hosted by REA.

The speakers included internationally known experts from the European Union, representatives of local and foreign banks and companies and delegates from several Eastern and Central European countries. The forum provided a platform for presenting EU’s best practices in RES investments and for sharing experience in implementing renewable energy projects in the Republic of Belarus as well as in some of the INOGATE Partner Countries - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Participants also visited a biogas facility in Belarus to see a RES project in operation.

Mr. Viktor Akushko, First Deputy Director of the Energy Efficiency Department pointed out that increasing energy saving and the energy efficiency of the national economy and developing renewable energy in Belarus were priority areas. He also noted that the Republic of Belarus was creating favourable conditions for investments in RES projects and for increasing EE.