While Russia is justifiably known as a major oil and gas producer and exporter, several alternative non-hydrocarbon energy developments have been growing, largely unnoticed and with little reporting. In contrast with many other countries, these technologies are emerging in Russia without any massive “green subsidies,” writes Paul Gontcharoff in Russia Insider.
The past three years Russia has seen a pickup both in investing and development in various directions, from biomass processing to solar energy generation. In Crimea, the Russian government together with commercial investors have begun projects to help relieve this energy deficit by adding about 134 million kW of new solar capacity and about 62 million kW of wind capacity to the existing electricity network by 2020.
In the city of Narimanov located in the southwestern part of the Astrakhan region, a 250 kW solar power plant is under construction. A further five solar plants with a total capacity of 90 MW are planned to be completed by 2018-19.
Even in far-flung regions like the far eastern Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) a 40 MW solar power plant is being built to enable the full supply of electricity to the local population.
Read the full story in Russia Insider
