LocationsEnergy from within: UNDP's contribution to Belarus' transition to local energy sources
October 20, 2025
In 2024, Belarus replaced about three billion cubic meters of imported natural gas with local fuels, mainly wood waste. For a country where over 40% of the territory is forested, this marks a logical step toward energy diversification. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which regards local fuels as a vital instrument for strengthening energy independence while addressing the climate crisis, has actively supported this transition. The experience of transitioning to domestic energy sources was discussed at a roundtable organized by UNDP in Minsk last week as part of the Energy and Environment Forum.
A national pivot
This shift taps into a domestic surplus. Routine forest thinning and the removal of fallen trees provide a steady stream of material that was once considered waste. Moreover, the country’s forestry industry harvests more timber than the local market can absorb, creating a ready supply of raw material for the nation's boiler houses.
The results are already tangible. Of Belarus’s 10,500 energy production facilities, more than half now run on local fuels. In 40 districts, their share exceeds 70%, and in another 30, it stands between 50% and 70%.
The economics are compelling.
Energy generated from local fuels costs, on average, 20% less than that produced from natural gas.
According to official plans, by 2030, the country aims to increase the share of renewables in its energy balance from 6% to 8%, driven by expanding infrastructure for processing woody biomass.
In this context, UNDP's long-standing expertise in implementing local energy solutions has proved particularly valuable.
Local solutions: UNDP’s experience
Perhaps the most unexpected experiment in this homegrown energy strategy began not with solar panels or wind turbines, but with humble hay harvested from a fen mire.
In 2017 a test boiler was built in Brest to run on biomass harvested from overgrown wetlands. The economics proved attractive: 2.5 tons of hay could replace 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas at lower cost. The first supplier was the Sporovsky Republican Biological Reserve, home to one of Europe's largest fen mires.
With support from a joint UNDP–European Union project, "Clima-East", the mire, which had become overgrown with shrubs and sedges, began to be restored through mowing while simultaneously producing fuel. Scientists calculated that the Sporovskoe fen mire alone could generate enough biomass each year to heat a town of 25,000 people. If all 600,000 hectares of the country's degraded marsh and meadow ecosystems were mowed and the hay sent to boilers, the potential savings on natural gas could reach $420 million annually.
Mowing shrubs in the Sporovskoye fen mire.
This innovative solution is not an isolated experiment but the result of two decades of systematic work by UNDP in Belarus. A series of interconnected projects – from pilot boiler rooms and energy-efficient housing to solar panels and wetland restoration – has steadily built a national ecosystem for sustainable energy.
One of the first initiatives was the “Biomass Energy for Heating and Hot Water Supply” project with the Global Environment Facility. One boiler house and three mini combined-heat-and-power plants were converted to biomass, equipped with installations that simultaneously provide electricity and heat. The project not only demonstrated successful examples of local energy use but also laid the foundation for the development of bioenergy in the country.
Biomass cathedral for one of the pilot CHP plants of the “Biomass Energy for Heating and Hot Water Supply” project.
The work was continued by the UNDP and European Union project “Supporting the Transition to a Green Economy in the Republic of Belarus.” In 2016, a facility for processing wood waste into biofuel was established in Brest. Mobile machinery processes wood waste into biofuel on-site, eliminating the need for environmentally damaging and costly temporary storage.
Processing of logging residues (uprooted stumps, roots, branches, substandard logs, tree and shrub branches, wood processing residues) into wood chips, which will then be burned to generate heat and electricity.
Environmental and social impact
Beyond technological success, UNDP projects demonstrate broad environmental and social impacts.
The transition to local fuels reduces dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse-gas emissions. At the same time, demand for wood waste encourages the timely clearing of forests and adjacent lands, which improves their health and reduces the risk of fires and pest infestations.
Energy solutions based on local fuel improve people's quality of life. Local biomass boilers provide reliable heating, particularly in rural regions. The supply chain for collecting, processing and using biomass creates jobs, predominantly in the countryside. Regular clearing of green spaces and forest areas not only mitigates fire risks but also makes towns and villages more accessible and well-kept.
The path ahead: partnerships and technology
UNDP will continue to support joint efforts by the state, private sector and scientific community to develop renewable energy sources in Belarus further. As participants at the roundtable "Advantages and Features of Using Pellets in Energy Sources of the Republic of Belarus" emphasized, priorities include establishing uniform standards, creating transparent supply chains and deploying digital solutions for better monitoring and management of energy systems.
By harnessing its natural resources, Belarus is charting a course towards reduced reliance on energy imports, lower greenhouse-gas emissions and a more resilient heating system –while remaining open to innovative solutions.
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