Murman Pataraia, Director General of Biodiesel Georgia on Launching Regulations on Energy Commodities Export

Georgia is in an extremely poor condition in terms of energy independence, especially with regards to the fuel sphere, where the country is mostly dependent on imported oil products – Pataraia tells us. Yet, turns out that through modern technologies and innovative approaches, even countries with scarce oil resources can produce their own renewable and eco-friendly fuel, including biodiesel, bio-petrol as well as bio-gas. In Georgia, the first step in this regard has already been made by the startup Biodiesel Georgia, which has been operating for two years.

This innovative startup produces biodiesel, utilizing secondary cooking oil as the raw material. Thanks to modern technologies, secondary oil has become a significant strategic resource for Georgia. Indeed, through the utilization of this waste product, the country has been given an opportunity to regularly manufacture fuel and decrease dependence on the import of oil products, as well as ameliorate the ecological and economic conditions.

“Any state would take special care of this resource and use it beneficially. And yet we see a reality where an energy commodity of vital importance is uncontrolledly leaked from Georgia. The process of leakage takes place even when a special refinery, able to produce an alternative product – biodiesel – out of this resource, is running in the country. Considering this, moving this resource out of the borders of the country, is, to put it mildly, a crime,” Pataraia claims.

“The government should strictly control the use of this strategically important resource, restrict its export and prioritize local manufacturers, especially when the first step has already been made and the first successfully bio-fuel factory is already in operation in Georgia,” he says. “Our legislation with regards to electricity export is a clear example of the kind of policies implemented by the government: if there is no excessive production of electric energy in our country, its export is prohibited. The government policy should also do the same with regard secondary oil.”

Pataraia goes on to note that we live in an era where we have to face numerous challenges, where energy resource supply is decreasing on a daily basis globally.

“Taking into account the fact that Georgia is certainly not rich in terms of oil products, we must maximally assimilate and use everything we have,” he says. “We plan to launch a large-scale campaign in the near future, working actively with government services, including executive and legislative circles, and the offices of the Business and Energy Ombudsmen. We also plan to hold consultation with NGOs, international organizations and diplomatic corps to use this industrial resource primarily for the energy independence of Georgia,” Pataraia concludes.