On October 31, 2014 in Courtyard Marriot, WEG presented results of a research – Assessment of Wood and Agricultural Residue Biomass Energy Potential in Georgia financed by UNDP.

The main goal of the study performed by experts: Rusidan mdivani, Giorgi Badrishvili and Merab Machavariani, was to assess the available resources of biomass residues from forestry and agricultural activities, evaluate their energy potential and identify the locations with highest biomass residue potential for further study. Perennial crops – wine pruning’s residue, fruit orchard’s pruning residue, hazelnut cutting and shells and laurel cuttings were assessed, as well as wheat, barley, corn, oat, kidney been and sunflower from annual crops. Wood residue biomass was concentrated mainly on Biomass residue from timber harvesting and logging: tree tops, branches and foliage, Stump (excluding roots) sawdust and biomass resulting from timber processing at sawmills, slabs, edgings and off-cuts, Sawdust and fines, bark and various losses.

According to the research, the highest energy potential from perennial crops is accumulated from vineyard’s pruning residue (2.0PJ) corn from annual crops can generate 18.3PJ energy and wood biomass is divided into 2 categories, 31.3 PJ is already accumulated potential and annual potential is 8.7 PJ.

Totally, 37.4 PJ energy can be theoretically generated from wood and agricultural crop residues. For comparison, total gas consumption in Georgia is 70 PJ.

It has to be mentioned, that all of the theoretical potential cannot be used, how much biomass is really accessible and what is there energy potential is a subject of future studies.