IEE Project ‘BiogasIN’
Permitting Procedures for Biogas Projects
in Slovenia
WP4, D4.2.
- Development Agency Sinergija -
14.11.2010
This project (Contract No. IEE/09/848/SI2.558364) is supported by:
Contents
1.
Introduction ............................................................................................................3
2.
Permitting Procedures for Biogas projects in Slovenia ...................................3
2.1.
2.2.
2.3.
3.
Legal basis for permitting of biogas projects .................................................................... 3
Responsible permitting authorities.................................................................................... 4
Permitting procedures ...................................................................................................... 5
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................9
Annex 1: Questionnaire on permitting procedures for biogas project
developers ...............................................................................................................9
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1.
Introduction
2.
Permitting Procedures for Biogas projects in Slovenia
2.1.
Legal basis for permitting of biogas projects
The Slovenian energy policy is in favour of biogas plants installation in order to increase the share
of renewable energy sources, to reduce the GHG emissions and to increase the share of electricity
produced from RES, what refers to many national strategic documents:
Resolution on the National Energy Programme (Official Gazette of the Republic of
Slovenia, № 57/2004): aiming to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the
primary energy balance of Slovenia.
Energy Act (O.G. RS № 79/1999, final amendment № 22/2010): the Law ensures the
stimulation of the RES exploitation, gives priority to efficient use of energy and use of RES
replacing the fossil fuels and fostering in different ways the energy production from RES. It
also defines the status of qualified producers of electricity and the kinds of electricity
produced from renewable sources.
Regulations on the requirements to be met for obtaining the status of a qualified
electricity producer (O.G. RS № 29/2001, final amendment № 71/2007): this Decree
sets out types of qualified electricity producers in terms of primary source of electricity and
nominal electrical power, conditions for obtaining the status of qualified electricity producer
and the procedure for obtaining the status of a qualified electricity producer.
Environment Protection Act (O.G. RS № 41/2004, final amendment № 108/2009): the
law is legal basis for numerous instruments stimulation the use of RES, such as CO2 tax
and emission trading. The law places the use of RES among the tasks that can be
financed from the government budget for environment protection and from the sources of
the Ecological fund of Slovenia.
The law for construction of objects (O.G. RS № 110/2002, final amendment 62/2010).
Rules on electricity market operation (O.G. RS, № 98/2009).
Decree on environmental tax for the pollution of air with emission from carbon
dioxide (O.G. RS, № 43/2005, final amendment № 39/2010).
Decree on waste management (O.G. RS, № 34/2008).
Decree on the treatment of biodegradable waste (O.G. RS, № 62/2008).
The construction of biogas plants is supported by the Slovenian government by the help of soft
loans and subsidies from the public Environmental Fund of the Republic of Slovenia and with the
subsidization of investment documentation in the planning stage for the RES projects. One of the
main stimulations is the operating support or the guaranteed prices and premiums of
electricity.
Regulation on supports for the electricity generated from renewable energy sources
(O.G. RS № 37/2009, final amendment № 94/2010): this regulation sets out the types of
energy technology generated devices to produce electricity from renewable energy
sources, more detailed definition of support, method of setting the reference costs of
electricity production from RES, the method of pricing for guaranteed purchase of
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electricity, the method of determining the level of support, conditions and methods for
obtaining support and other questions, including definition of fixed prices for the electricity
produced from RES and annual premiums (feed-in tariffs). Uniform annual prices and
uniform annual premiums do not include VAT. The tariff structure is in favour of small
biogas plants for biogas production.
Regulation on issuing of the Declarations for the production units and of the
Guaranties of Origin (O.G. RS № 8/2009, final amendment 22/2010): this regulation
allows to the biogas plant operator to choose between the guaranteed purchase prices and
operating support, that mean the difference between production costs and the estimated
market price of electricity for all the net electricity generated, which these producers are
selling in the market or using for own consumption.
The state support can be also increased in case:
a) if the annual heat deployment is more than 15% of the biogas input energy, then the biogas
plant is entitled to a supplementary payment of 10% of operating support. The heat from
biogas plants, which is used for biogas production, it is not considered as useful heat;
b) if the manure and slurry input annually more than 30% of the all the substrate for the
biogas, then the biogas plant is entitled to a supplementary payment of 10% of operating
support;
c) if the manure and slurry input annually more than 70% of the substrate for the production of
biogas, then the biogas plant with a rated power output of 200 kW is entitled to a
supplement of 20% of operating support.
2.2.
Responsible permitting authorities
The biogas energy policy in Slovenia is simultaneously conducted at several levels: the federal and
the regional level.
The most important Slovenian energy policy making institutions at the federal level are:
1. Ministry of the Economy of the Republic of Slovenia.
2. Energy Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.
3. Environment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (under umbrella of the Ministry of the
Environment and Spatial Planning).
4. Slovenian Power Market Operator Borzen.
5. Electricity distribution company (under umbrella of the Distribution system operator (SODO).
The most important Slovenian energy policy making institutions at the regional level are:
6. Veterinary Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (regional department).
7. Administrative unit.
.
Each authority involved in the permission process has employees, who are in charge for the
projects that refers to renewable energy sources projects, so to biogas projects either.
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2.3.
Permitting procedures
Building and operation of a biogas plant in Slovenia requires a number of official documents,
permissions and licenses to be assured by the investor/operator in compliance with the national
legislation.
The whole process of an average biogas plant installation cab be described as below:
PROCESS STEPS
1. The project idea.
2. Conceptual feasibility.
3. Feasibility study.
4. Planning of a biogas plant.
5. The permits procedure, financing procedure.
6. Building of a biogas plant.
7. Operation and maintenance of a biogas plant.
8. Renovation and replacement of details.
9. Destroy or reconstruction.
With regard to the topic - «Permitting procedures» - we would like to avoid the first 4 steps of the
process and pay attention on the documents, permits and licenses needed for the biogas plant
installation.
Previously, it is important to mention that not all the permits are required for a specific biogas plant,
since it depends on several factors. In case, if one is building a biogas plant for his own needs,
than the building and operating permits are only needed. While in the case, if one is selling the
produced energy, than the energy permit and energy license for biogas plant over 1 MW have to
be acquired. When using organic wastes for biogas production, than a plant operator has to
acquire a permit for waste processing/recovery etc.
The description of permission procedure for a biogas plant in Slovenia is listed chronologically:
List of the required documents needed to for the biogas plant:
Building permit
Energy permit
Energy license
Environmental Consent
Veterinary Administration Consent
Operating permit
Consent for connection to the electricity grid.
Declaration for production units and support.
1. Building Permit
In accordance with the Law on Building Construction, building of a new facility, reconstruction,
alternative building or demolishing of a building may be initiated on the basis of the legal Building
Permit. The procedures and conditions for obtaining of the Building Permits are defined by the
Law.
For the Building Permit the investor should make an Application to the competent
administrative unit in charge for building matters, on which land is located the foreseen biogas
plant. There must be given the details of the plot number and the cadastral municipality land of the
intended building and the land, on which infrastructure connections will be held, if the facility should
be connected to it. There also must be submitted the evidence of the right to build, if that right has
not yet been entered in the land register before, as well as two copies of the project to obtain a
Building permit (namely, a number of studies, projects and approvals). There is a Municipal Spatial
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Act authorizing new constructions or major alterations in municipalities. The construction of a
biogas plant can be started only on the basis of the obtained legal Building Permit.
Responsible authority: Administrative unit.
Level of accessibility: long lasting and complicated.
Time framework: about 5-6 months (officially) or more (in case of complications).
Costs: around 350 € (a big amount of € intended to many different documentation arrangement (up to 5.000 €).
Validity: permanent.
2. Energy permit
The investor must obtain the Energy permit for power plants over 1 MW at the same time as
applying for the Building Permit. With this permit can be set up:
- the location of the plant,
- the type of the plant,
- the conditions for performing of energy activities,
- the conditions related to the plant commissioning.
Responsible authority: Ministry of the Economy of the RS.
Level of accessibility: relatively easy.
Time framework: about 1-2 months (officially).
Costs: 19,37 €.
Validity: permanent.
3. Energy License
The Energy Act defines that for the performance of an individual energy-related activity it is
necessary to obtain an Energy License for installations that generate electricity over 1 MW of
power. This is valid also for biogas plants. In compliance with the provisions of the Energy Act for
biogas plants with the electric power less than 1 MW the Energy License is not required.
The Energy License must be obtained before the operation or implementation of energy activities.
The Energy Act does not specify at what stage of the project the necessary License should be
obtained. The Energy License for the performance of an individual energy-related activity is issued
by the Energy Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.
Responsible authority: Energy Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.
Level of accessibility: relatively easy.
Time framework: about 1 week.
Costs: no costs.
Validity: 5 years.
4. Environmental Consent (IPPC permit)
Biogas plants operating on agricultural wastes do not require the Environmental Consent, if the
thermal power in plants for production of heat and electricity is less than 1 MW.
The holder of investments in biogas plants must carry out the complete Environmental Impact
Assessment (IPPC - Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) and for that to make an
Application to the Environment Agency of the RS for issuing the IPPC permit. The Application
should contain the very project, the report on Environmental Impact Assessment and the Audit of
the Environmental Impact Assessment. The Environmental Impact Assessment is obligatory for
different interventions that are defined in the Regulation on the types of interventions to the
environment that is subject to impact assessment (O.G. RS, № 78/2006, final amendment
32/2009) and in the Decree on activities and installations causing large-scale environmental
pollution (O.G. RS № 97/2004, final amendment 122/2007): control over environmental pollutions
(limit values for exhausted emissions into the air, impact on groundwater, noise and odours,
handling and recycling of manure and organic wastes, protection of landscape etc.). The procedure
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for obtaining the Environmental Consent can begin together with the preparation of the Location
Concept or during the project implementation for the Building permit procedure.
Responsible authority: Environment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.
Level of accessibility: long lasting and complicated.
Time framework: about 6 months (officially) or more (in case of complications).
Costs: 550 €.
Validity: for agricultural biogas plants – 5 years, for another (by-animal products) – 10 years.
5. Veterinary Administration Consent (VURS)
In case of using animal-by products for biogas production (manure, slaughterhouse wastes…) the
plant operator must obtain the permit for waste recovery from the Veterinary Administration of the
RS (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food) in compliance with the Regulation of the European
Parliament № 1774/2002 and of the Council on health rules concerning animal by-products not
intended for human consumption (O.G. RS № L273/2002). In this regulation, animal by-products
are divided into three categories.
However, it is possible to process the wastes without the permission in case of:
- the usage of non-hazardous waste,
- the processing is going on the location of the waste source,
- the processing of only own waste,
- meeting of all the requirements for waste recovery.
Responsible authority: Veterinary Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.
Level of accessibility: relatively easy.
Time framework: less then 3 weeks (officially) or more (in case of complications).
Costs: 19,37 €.
Validity: permanent.
The approval of the Veterinary Administration is a prerequisite for further proceedings to obtain an
Operating permit.
6. Operating permit
The Operating permit, as defined in the Article 89 of the Law on Construction of Objects, is the
decision of the authority that issued the Building permit on the base of the previous technical
examination, which may give the permission for the start of a biogas plant operation.
The Request for issuing an Operating permit shall contain the number and the date of the Building
permit, information about the designer, who elaborated the project for implementation and the
project for work implemented and the information on the contractors, who have built or
reconstructed the plant. The Request for an Operating permit must be accompanied by several
project related documents.
Responsible authority: Administrative unit.
Level of accessibility: depends on the fulfilled conditions.
Time framework: about 3 months (including the Trial operating permit).
Costs: no costs.
Validity: permanent.
For the production and sale of electricity produced in biogas plants is necessary to obtain the
Consent for connection to the distribution grid and the Declaration for a generating plant and
support.
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7. Consent for connection to the distribution grid
In order to get the Consent for connection to the distribution grid the following documents needed
to be lodged to one of the responsible electric distribution companies (under the umbrella of the
electricity distribution system operator (SODO)): application that should content the information
about the investor (or the user), the power, the consumption regime, the systems, the time of
connection, proof of the property ownership and conceptual design (for the new biogas plant).
Based on the project conditions and the approval for the connection, the project documentation to
be prepared next for the construction of a new biogas plant and its connection to the electricity
distribution network.
Responsible authority: one of the responsible electric distribution companies in Slovenia.
Level of accessibility: relatively easy.
Time framework: 30-60 days.
Costs: consent is free; contract: 50-100 kW=360 €, >100 kW=1000 €.
Validity: permanent.
8. Declaration for the production units and support
If a biogas plant operator wants to sell the produced electricity and at the same time receive the
support from the state, he must submit an Application for a declaration for generating plant and
support.
Basically, the biogas plant operator can choose between the guaranteed purchase prices and
operating support, that mean the difference between production costs and the estimated market
price of electricity for all the net electricity generated, which these producers are selling in the
market or using for own consumption.
Based on the decision for allocation of such support, the biogas plant operator will make an
agreement with the Power Market Operator Borzen.
Responsible authority: Energy Agency of the RS and Slovenian Power Market Operator Borzen.
Level of accessibility: relatively easy.
Time framework: up to 1 months.
Costs: no costs.
Validity: 5 years.
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3.
Conclusion
With regard to the implemented interviews we found out that, irrespective to the national laws
favourableness to biogas, the procedures of obtaining the permissions for biogas projects in
Slovenia is usually a complicated and long lasting process (1-1,5 years for one biogas plant).
Almost all the interviewed biogas operators complained about it (except those, who were the first to
install their biogas plants in Slovenia). In fact, one of the biggest bottlenecks was the number of
negotiations with the responsible authorities (15-20 !!!) and in general the multiplicative number of
those institutions, administrative bodies and authorities related to biogas projects needed to be
harmonize with. Moreover, the incompetence of the staff dealing with the permit issues often
disappointed the biogas investors indeed. Their lack of common knowledge in the field of biogas
followed to delays of the very permit process (up to 10 months to get 1 permit, e.g. Building permit,
Environmental Consent). The civil initiative in Slovenia nowadays became the real ‘fatal decision’
that contributed either to the long standstill of biogas procedures at a certain stage or to the total
failure (suspension) of all activities by the biogas investor.
Summarizing all the above-mentioned we recommend the following steps that could improve the
biogas development in Slovenia:
o
o
o
preparation of clear guidelines for the future biogas investors/operators with the detailed
description of all the procedures, laws and costs needed for a biogas project success and
its promotion publicly (media, website) and among the involved authorities;
punctual control of all the biogas related applications and in connection with this punctual
permit issue by authorities in compliance with the national law;
organization of expert educations (seminars, training courses, capacity buildings) for the
involved administrative bodies, authorities and biogas farmers/investors subjected to
renewable energy and especially to biogas: the detailed instruction about the main
characteristics and aspects of biogas, its benefits and advantages, production and
consumption, permit and financing procedures etc.
Annex 1: Questionnaire on permitting procedures for
biogas project developers (SI)
1.
Navedite vaše mnenje o postopkih za pridobivanje dovoljenj za
postavitev bioplinarne v Sloveniji?
1.1.
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Prosimo, presodite naslednjo izjavo: “Postopek izdaje dovoljenj ni ovira za postavitev
bioplinarne v Sloveniji”:
□
Popolnoma se ne strinjam.
□
Ne strinjam se.
□
Ne vem.
□
Se strinjam.
□
Popolnoma se strinjam.
1.2.
V procesu pridobivanja dovoljenj v Sloveniji… :
□
…težje si zagotoviti zunanje financiranje (bančno posojilo) kot pridobiti dovoljenje.
□
…težje pridobiti dovoljenje kot si zagotoviti zunanje financiranje.
□
…oba postopka sta težavna.
2. Proces pridobivanja dovoljenj (gradbeno dovoljenje, licenca za opravljanje
energetske dejavnosti (>1 MW), IPPC, odobritev Veterinarske uprave RS, uporabno
dovoljenje, Status kvalificiranega proizvajalca električne energije, soglasje za priključitev
na omrežje…)
2.1.
Katera dovoljenja je lažje pridobiti
1.
2.
3.
2.2.
Katera dovoljenja je težje pridobiti:
1.
2.
3.
3. Odgovornosti za postopke izdaje dovoljenj
3.1.
3.2.
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Ali veste, kdo je odgovoren za izdajo dovoljenj za postavitev bioplinarn v Sloveniji?
□
Vem.
□
Ne vem.
□
Nisem prepričan.
Kateri organ je odgovoren za izdajo dovoljenj za postavitev bioplinarne v Sloveniji?
□
Nacionalna oblast:
Katera?
□
Regionalna oblast:
Katera?
□
Regionalna in nacionalna oblasti: Katere?
4. Izkušnje z odgovornimi organi in z lokalnim prebivalstvom
4.1.
Kakšne so bile vaše izkušnje z lokalnim prebivalstvom?
4.2.
Kakšne so bile vaše izkušnje z odgovornimi organi v procesu postavitvi bioplinarne?
□
Izkušnje so bile v pomoč in so temeljile na sodelovanju.
□
Izkušnje niso bile v pomoč in niso temeljile na sodelovanju.
□
Izkušnje so temeljile na sodelovanju, vendar naprej niso bile v pomoč.
□
Nisem mogel najti odgovorne osebe za projekte o postavitvi bioplinarne.
.
□
Do sedaj še nisem imel izkušenj z odgovornimi organi.
4.3.
Prosimo, presodite naslednjo izjavo:
“Zmožnosti pristojnih organov (npr. število zaposlenih, znanja o bioplinu in izdaje
dovoljenj) so zelo dobre."
4.4.
4.5.
□
Popolnoma se ne strinjam.
□
Ne strinjam se.
□
Ne vem.
□
Se strinjam.
□
Popolnoma se strinjam.
Prosimo, presodite naslednjo izjavo:
"Učinkovitost pristojnih organov (npr. čas za pridobivanje povratnih informacij, kakovost
povratne informacije) je zelo dobra."
□
Popolnoma se ne strinjam.
□
Ne strinjam se.
□
Ne vem.
□
Se strinjam.
□
Popolnoma se strinjam.
Koliko pogajanj ste imeli z odgovornimi organi?
Število pogajanj / razprav:
4.6.
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Ali vaš lokalni organ zagotavlja smernice za izdajanje dovoljenj?
□
Da.
□
Ne.
Smernice izdaja (kateri organ?):
4.7.
Pojasnite vaše izkušnje z odgovornimi organi:
5. Trajanje postopkov izdaje dovoljenj
5.1.
Če ste že izvedli projekt za postavitev bioplinarne:
Kako dolgo je trajalo, da ste dobili dovoljenja?
Dovoljenje: ______Navedite število mesecev: ___
Dovoljenje: ______Navedite število mesecev: ___
Dovoljenje: ______Navedite število mesecev: ___
Dovoljenje: ______Navedite število mesecev: ___
Dovoljenje: ______Navedite število mesecev: ___
5.2.
Če še niste izvedli projekta za postavitev bioplinarne:
Kako dolgo traja po vašem mnenju izdaja dovoljenj?
Navedite število mesecev: ___
6. Stroški izdaje dovoljenj
6.1.
6.2.
Če ste že izvedli projekt za postavitev bioplinarne:
Kakšni so bili stroški za pridobitev dovoljenj?
1. Dovoljenje ______
__EUR
2. Dovoljenje ______
__EUR
3. Dovoljenje ______
__EUR
4. Dovoljenje ______
__EUR
5. Dovoljenje ______
__EUR
6. Dovoljenje ______
__EUR
Če še niste izvedli projekta za postavitev bioplinarne:
Kakšni bi bili stroški za pridobitev dovoljenj?
_________EUR
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7. Razlogi za neugodne postopke izdaje dovoljenj
7.1.
7.2.
Kakšni so glavni problemi pri postopkih izdaje dovoljenj? (Lahko izberete več opcij.)
□
Postopek za pridobitev dovoljenja je predolg.
□
Ni jasno, kateri lokalni organ je odgovoren za izdajo katerega dovoljenja.
□
Ni jasno, katera oseba pri lokalnem organu je odgovorna za projekt o postavitvi bioplinarne.
□
Preveč organov je vključenih v postopek izdaje dovoljenja.
□
Zahtevane informacije (dokumenti, dokazila) so preveč zahtevne za pridobitev dovoljenj.
□
Ni pravne podlage za postavitev bioplinarne.
□
Zahteva se preveč ocenjevanj (npr. ocenjevanje vpliva na okolje). Prosimo, določite število
ocenjevanj: __
□
Ni ustreznih zakonov za postavitev bioplinarn.
□
Ni informacij o postopku izdaje dovoljenja za postavitev bioplinarne.
□
Pri postopku izdaje dovoljenja v Sloveniji ni problemov.
□
Drugo: prosimo, da druge razloge napišite pri točki 7.2.
Prosim, da pojasnite vaše izkušnje:
8. Splošna vprašanja
8.1.
8.2.
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Katero je vaše glavno delovno področje?
□
področje bioplina
□
kmetijstvo
□
živilska industrija
□
gospodarjenje z odpadki
□
javna energetska služba
□
Drugo:
Ali ste že vzpostavili bioplinarno?
□
Da.
□
Ne.
8.3.
Ali imate kakšno drugo sporočilo za odgovorne oblasti in politike?
8.4.
Če želite, prosimo, navedite vaše kontaktne podatke:
Zahvaljujemo se vam za vaš prispevek!
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