Russian Federation

Summary of national biofuels policy and strategy

 Biofuels substitution targets

 Targets: none set 

National policy and trends in biofuels crop development  

In late 2007, Russian president Vladimir Putin and Minister of Agriculture Alexey Gordeev publicly stated that the country will actively pursue opportunities to participate in the growing global bioenergy market. The emerging Russian biofuel industry is driven primarily by growing demand for biofuel in Europe with little domestic demand and no mandatory substitution.

Recent proposals suggest a Russian bioethanol programme should aim for the production of 1.8 million tonnes a year.

The primary resources for biofuel are forest products and grains for ethanol and rapeseed for biodiesel. Government sources suggest that ‘unused’ land of up to 20 million hectares of land is available for energy crops in addition to significant existing forest wood supply.  

Sources:

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service - Russian Federation Bio-Fuels Annual 2007

http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200706/146291296.pdf 

FO Licht's World Ethanol & Biofuels Report - www.agra-net.com