Renewable energy sources

Energy saving is the resource as big as Russia, according to Scientific director of the Ural Institute for Energy Saving Nikolai Danilov (Ekaterinburg). This entirely reflects the views of environmental NGOs, who believe that the purposeful introduction of energy efficiency projects will allow to abandon construction of hazardous energy projects.

Tomsk region has a plans to electrify more than 20 settlements to 2020 with wind-solar decentralized energy sources. It will cost 91,9 mln rub which will be paid back in 3-4 years. Heads of the region's districts have shown interest in the developments by Tomsk's scientists, and region's authorities are now holding consultations concerning providing the financing of the pilot project.

For the first time in Russia in Belgorod oblast the solar PV power station was put into operation to sell electricity to the grid. The system consists of polycrystalline solar cells of 50 kW and amorphous solar panels of the same capacity. Design capacity - 133,390 kWh per year.

A while ago REN21 published a report presenting the latest data on current trends in the renewable energy sector. Despite the significant growth of RE production worldwide Russia still lags behind showing some of the lowest figures on the list. Having a huge RE development potential at hand, the country lacks support and development mechanisms for the sector and prioritizes fossils exploitation.

During his visit to Norway and Denmark in the end of April 2010, President Medvedev said about interest to apply in Russia Nordic experience in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. "Energy efficiency, unfortunately, is not the best side of Russian economy today " he said at the press conference. Russian president signed with his Danish counterpart the agreements on implementation of projects related to climate change, and projects on energy efficiency

In the St.Petersburg & Leningrad region a media tour “Climate and Green Energy” was held 8 of April. Climate Secretariat of the Russian Socio-Ecological Union shows successful cases of energy efficiency and alternative energy.