Prishtina, 04.12.2025 – The first National Forum on Wood Biomass was held with the theme “From Forest Waste to Circular Economy”, an event that marks an important step towards the development of the bioenergy sector and the sustainable use of forest resources in the country.

In her speech, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, Ms. Leonita Shabani Mullarama, highlighted that the Ministry of Economy, within the framework of its responsibilities in the energy sector, and especially in the field of heating, considers biomass as an important component for expanding energy supply opportunities, and for reducing heating costs in terms of improving the management of natural resources.

“Through cooperation with central and local institutions and international partners, the Ministry of Economy has taken concrete steps to develop the biomass sector,” she emphasized, underlining that biomass, when used within sustainable standards, can directly contribute to the expansion of heating capacities and the efficient management of natural resources.

She recalled that this forum is related to the objectives of the Energy Strategy 2022–2031, which foresees the modernization of the heating system and the use of sustainable sources, while the Ministry has already started to implement these objectives through concrete projects.

In this regard, the Ministry of Economy has supported the Gjakova district heating plant with around 2 million euros during the period 2021–2025 for the purchase of biomass and operating expenses, to guarantee the stability and functioning of the district heating plant, while in 2021 it secured funds from the European Union for the investment made in cogeneration, turning the district heating plant of the city of Gjakova into a modern and sustainable system.

As part of the Forum, a panel was also held on the topic “Legal Framework and Policies for the Development of a Sustainable Energy Market from Wood Biomass”, which was also attended by the Director of the Department of Energy at the Ministry of Economy, Mr. Luan Morina, who, among other things, emphasized that the part of the promotion of renewable energy sources (RE) is regulated by law, where biomass is particularly addressed, especially new technologies dedicated to the production of energy from biomass, which is the basis for support.

The forum aimed to create a comprehensive platform for inter-institutional coordination, policy dialogue and strategic planning, sharing best practices, successful models, promoting investments, modern biomass heating technologies and sustainable use of forest residues for green energy.