ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES OF ENERGY WILLOW CULTIVATION BY THE YALTUSHKIVSKA EXPERIMENTAL BREEDING STATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF BIOENERGY CROPS AND SUGAR BEETS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF AGRARIAN SCIENCES OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article analyzes the peculiarities of energy consumption in Ukraine, and it is established that among the main consumers of fuel and energy resources, the largest share belongs to the agricultural sector, which is also characterized by the significant potential of biomass suitable for biofuel production. It was determined that the most promising source of thermal energy should be solid biofuel, the production of which in Ukraine is accompanied by a shortage of quality raw materials. Analysis of the problem allowed generating its solution in the form of cultivation of energy plantations of plants of short rotation, in particular energy fast-growing willow on the lands, withdrawn from the agricultural rotation. It is established that in the perspective of realization of the described solution, the priority tasks for scientific institutions of agrarian profile are selection of productive varieties and hybrids of short-rotation energy plants suitable for processing into rigid biofuels and development of technologies of their cultivation and processing. Among such organizations, the object of research was selected Yaltushkovo experimental breeding station of the Institute of bioenergy crops and sugar beet NAAS of Ukraine, that is engaged in breeding and elite seed production of agricultural and bioenergy crops, including energy willow. In scientific activities of Yaltushkivska experimental breeding station were carried out and analyzed experiments on the technology of growing energy willow for the production of solid biofuel from various aspects of the production cycle, including the introduction of nutrients, alternative treatment practices, the use of cover crops, planting patterns, biomass growth features, as well as collection systems and logistics. Prospects for the practical use of energy willow based on economic calculations made for the efficiency of a 10-hectare plantation were disclosed. EcoWillow 2.0 program was chosen as the methodological basis - the most complete tool for financial analysis of willow plantations. It was determined that special attention should be paid to reforming the provision of heat energy to the rural population through the creation of energy cooperatives on the use and cultivation of energy willow on the basis of intersectoral scientific and production integration at the local level, involving as a scientific partner of the existing USEC «All-Ukrainian scientific- educational consortium» to ensure coordination of communication between science, public, government and business.