MINSK, 4 May (BelTA) – Belarus is mulling over projects to use peat as fuel in cement production, Belarus' Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich said as he met with the personnel of the design research enterprise Belgiprotopgaz on 3 May, BelTA learned from the press service of the ministry.
According to Viktor Karankevich, this year plans are in place to increase the delivery of peat products to the cement factories, including milled peat to Krasnoselstroymaterialy. The minister also named the conversion of boiler houses of the utilities sector from natural gas to milled peat as one of the priorities. “We have good examples of such projects: some of them are already at the final stage of implementation, and some are in the pipeline as promising ones,” he said.
Viktor Karankevich outlined a growing trend of demand for peat products in the domestic market. “About 40-45% of the total peat output was exported in 2011. Today this product is mainly in demand in our country,” the minister said.
In late 2020, Belarus approved a program of comprehensive modernization of peat production for 2021-2025. “This is a systematic document, which reflects the further development of the peat industry and each peat enterprise. We are going to upgrade the equipment, implement modern technologies and use new methods of peat field development and peat extraction. This means an increase in labor productivity, revenue growth, opportunities for the expansion of markets and the range of products manufactured by the peat factories,” the minister emphasized.
During his visit to the enterprise Viktor Karankevich introduced new Director of Belgiprotopgaz Sergei Gvozd to the enterprise's personnel. “Sergei Vladimirovich [Gvozd] has proved to be a competent specialist and a responsible manager who made a significant contribution to the development of the gas supply system in Vitebsk Oblast, being engaged in designing and construction. I hope the experience he has gained will be useful in his new capacity,” said the minister. Director General of Beltopgaz, member of the Council of the Republic Aleksei Kushnarenko added that Sergei Gvozd has had a successful career in the gas industry and has the necessary knowledge to lead the research institute which is of strategic importance to the industry.
Photos courtesy of Belarus' Energy Ministry
