Novopolotsk BVK plant may start biofuel production

January 12, Novopolotsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. A break-even operation program will be developed at the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Novopolotsk Plant of Protein-Vitamin Concentrates" (RUE "Novopolotsk Plant of PVC"). This was announced today to journalists by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Kosinets, after visiting the enterprise, according to a BELTA correspondent. According to the governor, the enterprise should maintain its specialization and continue to produce import-substituting feed additives for animal husbandry. At the same time, market demands indicate the need to expand the product range, in particular, the production of vitamin preparations for feed enrichment, which are still imported, as well as the development of biopesticide production. Another promising area in the development of PVC, according to the chairman of the regional executive committee, is biofuel production. However, Alexander Kosinets considers the most important task for the enterprise to be reducing the share of fuel and energy resources in the cost of finished products. Currently, it exceeds 65%. In this regard, energy-efficient installations are to be commissioned, which could operate not only on gas but also on local types of fuel. The director of the PVC plant, Alexander Niyakovsky, reported that centrifuges and separators that remove excess moisture from biomass have already been replaced at the enterprise. Modern equipment has made it possible to increase the dry matter content in the product from 10% to 15-18%. This, in turn, has led to a decrease in natural gas consumption by almost 1.3-1.5 times at the final stage of provit preparation. The enterprise intends to implement another energy-saving project in the near future, which involves the creation of its own mini-CHP plant. As emphasized by Alexander Niyakovsky, the need to commission energy-generating equipment is driven both by the need to reduce electricity costs and by the production technology: the exhaust of the gas turbine will be used as a drying agent. The Novopolotsk PVC plant is the only enterprise in Belarus for the production of feed microbial protein (provit) - a natural feed additive for animal husbandry, included in the state import substitution program. In addition to provit, the enterprise has mastered the production of feed autolyzed yeast, the feed mineral-vitamin-protein additive saproprovit, and has also produced pilot batches of biological plant protection products - biological pesticides and insecticides. Since 2010, due to changes in tariffs for fuel and energy resources, the enterprise has been operating at a loss. The PVC plant was established in 1978. More than 500 people work at the enterprise. -0-