Russia: Biofuels Annual
As one of the world's leading producers and exporters of oil and gas, biofuels have an insignificant share in the overall energy production matrix of Russia, with an estimate of only 1.2 percent, and biomass accounting for only 0.5 percent. While there are no official statistics that measure what share of total energy production biofuels account for, it is estimated that biofuels make up 5 percent of Russia’s heating energy and 1 percent of its electrical power. The development of the biofuels sector has never been a priority for the government in the past, and currently with the strong focus on development of the import substitution program, it will be even less of a priority. No major breakthrough is expected at least in the short-term. Wood pellet production and exports will likely continue to grow, driven primarily by increasing demand from Europe and Asian markets, soft ruble and increasing local consumption.