YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is developing programs to develop the biofuel market. In cooperation with the UNDP a respective research will be conducted in the field based on which the government will clarify its actions for developing the field.

Deputy minister of environment Vardan Melikyan told ARMENPRESS that a consultation on this topic was held in the government led by the Prime Minister back in February. By the end of July the ministry will present proposals on replacing wood with briquettes and pellets for developing the biofuel market in Armenia.

“I was in Moldova, got acquainted with their experience on replacing wood with other biofuel. I would like to state that the market was formed from zero within five years and has reached 10%. We are cooperating with the UNDP which will make a necessary research in our country and based on which it would be possible to take respective actions. The steps may be different: changes in the tax field, approval of standards, legislative changes. We have the list of the preliminary steps the implementation of which will be beneficial for the people to make investments in this sector. But it’s very important for these products to be consumed. Today we have a very small volume of production and consumption. We should promote both the production and demand to increase”, Vardan Melikyan said.

Asked what potential Armenia has in terms of briquettes, the deputy minister said the biomass that exists in Armenia and is not used is enough for at least meeting the whole demand of wood. He said when the market is starting developing, the experience shows that the producers also start making investments for the production of respective types.

Such programs are important for reducing illegal logging.

Reporting by Anna Gziryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan