La biomasse, activité alternative au développement des zones rurales

3- Costs and financing of the projects

This objective of doubling on behalf of renewable energies in the European energy balance forms part of a strategy of security of supply and durable development. It asks a great effort however. The investments necessary to achieve this goal were thus estimated by the Commission to 165 billion euro between 1997 and 2010.

The cost of many techniques of exploitation of renewable energies strongly decreased these last years and there is many cases where these sources of energy are from now on competing, and even constitute the most economic option.

But often, they remain more expensive than the other forms of energy in particular because the real cost of these last is not entirely taken into account. The research of the financings is thus a crucial question.

The activities of development of renewable energies which require a strong co-operation between the rural companies and of the partners external with the area, can be particularly advantageous for a rural territory. They are integrated well in a durable strategy of development and can create an action leverage and of drive for other initiatives.

The possibilities of support and financing as regards renewable energies are increasingly important at the regional, national or Community level. The White Paper precise : «  within the framework of the future policy of rural development, the Commission will encourage the Member States and the areas to give to the projects of renewable energies a higher priority within their programs in favor of the rural zones »^39(*). The opening to the competition of the sectors of gas and electricity will allow to the renewable producers energies to sell directly with the customers.

The viability of the renewable project of energy will depend on the answer to certain key questions such as the cost planned for the construction, how electricity will be sold and at which price, how the project will be financed and which output can be awaited investment. The cost of many techniques of exploitation of renewable energies strongly decreased these last years and the renewable ones become competing. Certain costs are inherent in the preparation of the project that this one succeeds or not. Even if the results of the preliminary study are positive and that the project is implemented, the expenditure will normally not be recovered in the form of premiums or of subsidies, but by the long-term operating profits. These inherent costs are related on the identification of the project and the location of the site, with the examination of pre-feasibility, the feasibility study, the negotiations and the attribution of the contracts, and the follow-up check procedures of the site.

Moreover, to stick upon the departure defining the risks will allow the parts implied to minimize them before even as begins the project. It is important to identify the specific risks related to each stage and to distribute them in a suitable way. Among the most current risks, one can quote amongst other things the technological problems, the non-observance of the times of construction, the faulty operation of the equipment, the risks of the market of energy. To quantify and distribute the risks to reduce them are often the most effective strategy to reduce the cost of the insurances.

The majority of the projects of renewable energy require important capital and require a consequent financing good before the launching of the operations. It is not very probable that this financing could be entirely available, from where a recourse to the loan. Unfortunately, the small projects can test difficulties of interesting lenders and investors. The financial arrangement often takes much time, time generally underestimated by the carriers of projects. According to the information received from « Biomass Information-Zentrum » from Stuttgart in Germany^40(*), even if each project is different, one can distinguish five possible ways to reach the financing :

· the personal economies, except for micro the projects, it is not very probable that the reserves of an individual or a company could cover all the costs of the project

· premiums in favor of the technological innovation

· banking loans guaranteed on personal assets

· the joint development of a project with a financially solid partner

· financing of projects with guarantees limited to future flows of treasury rather than simply on the installations

There are also European sources of financing. The principal programs of the European Union which support the development of renewable energies are :

· TO ALTERNATE, this program, managed by the Directorate-General of the energy of the European Commission, aims at promoting the use of the renewable sources of energy in Europe. Of indicative type, it envisages pilot actions to create or develop the infrastructures of exploitation of renewable energies, actions of promotion and diffusion, actions targeted aiming facilitating the access to the markets and at encouraging the investments, of measurements of follow-up and assistance. No financial assistance is granted individual projects in theory, the transnational co-operation is an essential criterion

· 5th Outline programme of research, of technological development and demonstration 1998-2002, it envisages financings for projects of RDT (research, development and technology) and thus does not constitute a suitable instrument for the majority of the rural situations. Transnational dimension is necessary, just as the use of a pré-compétitive technology. The financial assistance is limited to 35% for the projects of demonstration (50% for the projects of RDT). This new program replaces the programs MEGACAL and JOULE implemented within the framework of the 4th outline programme

· Other Community devices, other Community programs are interested in the biomass, of which FAIR which aims at promoting research in agriculture and sylviculture (including as regards biomass) and also LIFE, which sticks to the environmental impact of a series of activity among which agriculture and forest industry. One can moreover make call in certain cases with programs SAVE (rational use of energy) and SYNERGY (assistance with the reinforcement of the international energy co-operation)

Certain funds intended for the rural development with the title of objective 1 and objective 3 (Appendix 10) were also used for projects of renewable energy.

The national devices can also finance the renewable projects of energy. Many possibilities of financing in favor of renewable energies exist in the Member States and areas. It should be specified that the regulations intended to stimulate the renewable energy sector strongly vary from one area to another.

* ³⁹ COM (97) 599 final of the 26.11.1997, «  Energy for the future  : renewable sources of energy  »- White Paper establishing a strategy and a Community action plan, European Commission, p 26

* ⁴⁰ document Internet, www.biomasse-info.net, consulted the 14.04.2001