/30th July 2018, RAWI, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCHTM) The Republic of Belarus is situated in Eastern Europe at the crossroads of strategic transit pipelines for gas and oil, connecting Western Europe, the Russian Federation and Asia. The landlocked country’s electricity system is interconnected with Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania to the northwest.
Installation of Enercon E-66 wind turbines in Belarus
In late April 2018, the Sarens NV completed the installation of 4 Enercon E-66 wind turbines in the Mogilev region, the Republic of Belarus according to the Russian Association of Wind Energy Industry (RAWI). One of the client’s most important conditions was the execution of work in the shortest possible time due to failure to provide the crane from another local company. The team with the Liebherr LTM 1750-9.1 crane in the TYVEN (H) /49.1+31.5m/ configuration successfully installed the Enercon E-66 1.8MW with a hub height of 66 m and a rotor diameter of 70 m.
Due to the good preparation of the client (at all 4 sites rotor blades were assembled before the arrival of the big crane) and the skills of Sarens staff and representatives of the installation organization, the average time of installation of one wind turbine was 11 hours.
On the recommendation received for work on the project near Mogilev, Sarens NV in June installed 3 more similar wind turbines of the same model near Novogrudok, Belarus. Because the sites were located in the lowlands, the client additionally installed foundations with a height of about 7 meters at each wind turbine. A flexible schedule of work on their part (the start of work at 3 am) made it possible to realize this project in short terms, despite the weather conditions.
Belarus and Eurasian Economic Union Treaty (EAEUT)
On 29 May 2014, the Presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation signed the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEUT), while Armenia and the Kyrgyz Republic became members. In 2015 the three members agreed “to develop long-term mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy sector, conduct coordinated energy policies and gradually create common energy markets to ensure energy security”.
Belarus’s energy sector shares many characteristics and challenges with other countries in the Eastern Partnership region, which are already Parties or Observers to the Energy Community. The similarities between Belarus’s energy sector and its neighbours are of a historical, technical and regulatory nature. The status of Moldova (Party) and Armenia (Observer) show that infrastructure operation by a third-country company and membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, respectively,
are no obstacles to a country’s accession to the Energy Community as Observer (or even as a Party).
Renewable Energy Regulatory Framework in Belarus
Belarus has taken gradual steps towards developing its renewable energy sector. Due to its geographical and climate conditions, the country has significant potential to produce energy from renewable sources like wind, solar, biomass, and hydro. The policy and legal framework for regulating the renewable energy sector consist of:
• The Law on Renewable Energy Resources adopted in 2010;
• The Energy Saving Programme 2016-2020;
• The Presidential Decree 209/2015 and Presidential Directive 3/2015; and
• Resolutions of the Ministry of Antimonopoly and Trade No. 41/2017 and the Council of
Ministers 662/201596.
More information about wind energy business and investment opportunities in this country, you may find in the Belarus Wind Power Market Outlook 2017 – 2026
