Premier Tymoshenko proposes economic managers to replace about 18 billion cu m of gas by straw and woodworking industry woodwaste

Ukraine could replace a half of consumed gas volumes by using alternative sources, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told a special Government's meeting today.

According to her, Ukraine uses approximately 74 billion cu m of natural gas and actually fails to use alternative sources of electric energy. In particular, Austria uses about 24 percent of alternative fuel, Switzerland — also 24 percent, Germany — approximately 17 percent, while Ukraine uses only 0.83 percent of alternative sources, according to the words of Prime Minister. At the same time, such alternative raw materials as straw and woodworking industry woodwaste actually are lost in Ukraine. According to the Government's calculations, Ukraine could replace over 16 billion of cu m of gas at the expense of straw; at the expense of the woodworking industry and the planned deforestation woodwaste — over 2 billion cu m of natural gas.