Applying the experience of EU countries for the revitalization of villages using biomass as a renewable energy source

Abstract

The EU has recognised the issue of rural depopulation and has taken political measures to solve it. Smart rural communities, organised in cooperatives using indigenous biomass for energy purpose , are considered an effective solution to alleviate this problem by providing smart services to the local population, leading to higher economic competitiveness. The experience of Austria, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and other countries that are leaders in this field, are valuable and can be implemented in our country as well. Restarting the agricultural village cooperative and directing them to produce, in addition to traditional crops, more profitable ones (medicinal plants, fruits, vegetables), to then process, store and market them at the most favorable time, for that and for animal breeding, using their autochthonous energy resources - biomass, is a way to organize sustainable production even on small rural farms. In addition to the above, all thermotechnical equipment and installations can be produced in domestic small and medium enterprises. In this approach, the country's reindustrialization can begin while also reducing the decline of villages. The paper presents an overview of the steps that can lead to implementation of the above activities, noting that some parts of this work have already been presented before.