Agenda
Challenges
According to current assessments, the technical potential of renewable energy in Russia amounts to at least 4.5 billion tons of coal equivalent per year. It mainly includes potential of solar and wind energy and exceeds the current energy consumption in the country by more than 4 times.
Political
Currently Russians enjoy artificially priced energy far below the level of world market prices and the costs are subsidized by the Russian Government. Inefficient infrastructure such as central heating for the majority of Russia’s population also complicates the problem of creating more efficient domestic energy production.
Status
Targets
In Russia, renewable energy did not make big strides in 2010. Even though locally, smaller-scale projects started appearing in Russian regions last year, in sum total, the share of alternative energy in Russia’s energy market remained, as before, at a level of one percent. The Russian energy strategy aims to increase that share to 4.5 percent by 2020.
Russia Renewable Energy Program (RREP)
The Program (supported with funds from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF)) aims to mobilize investments and through advisory services increase the scale of private sector involvement in renewable energy. The Project also promotes a sustainable market for renewable energy in the Russian Federation by supporting the development of enabling policies, institutional capacity, introduction of financial mechanisms, and expanding access to finance. Projected 205MW of installed capacity from renewables by 2020.
Institutional Structure
Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation
The Ministry of Energy is a federal agency under the executive branch responsible for drafting and implementing national policy and legal regulation in the oil and fuel sector, including issues related to the electric power industry, oil production, oil processing, gas, fuel, peat and slate industries, major oil and gas pipelines, renewable energy sources, development of hydrocarbon fields based on production-sharing agreements, and the petrochemical industry.
Russian Energy Agency (REA)
The Russian Energy Agency was founded on December 22, 2009 on the basis of an enterprise Russian Informational Resources set up in 1966. The Agency was established under the Federal Law No 261-FZ “On Energy Saving and Energy Efficiency Enhancement” signed by the President of the Russian Federation on November 23, 2009. The Law is aimed at setting up a legal environment to promote energy efficiency in the Russian Federation.
Budget
Current
One of the more positive results of 2010 for Russia, and one that may indeed give a push to the development of alternative energy in the country, is undoubtedly the launch of a renewable energy project by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – a programme aiming at realising the huge potential of the as-yet untapped Russian green energy market.
Key Policies
Legislation
Development of renewable energy projects is hindered by the lack of a legislative mandate (renewable portfolio standard or feed-in prices), low electric and heat tariffs, low public demand, and the overall lack of investment capital due to economic instability. The dearth of information on governmental measures should also be noted.
Transition to Globalisation
Gazprom Seeks Global Deals to Build Gas Grid Encircling Europe
OAO Gazprom, the Russian company that ships a quarter of Europe’s gas, is seeking supply deals in the Caspian, Africa and around the world to anchor its lead in areas where European buyers may turn to rival producers.
Globalisation > Economy > Energy > Sources > Non-Renewable > Gas
Transition to Tools
Russia and France Reach Agreement on Autos and Natural Gas Pipelines
Moscow signed several deals in autos and energy with French companies at a meeting described by Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin of Russia as a breakthrough in economic ties between the countries.
Tools > National > France > Dom. Policies > Economy > Energy > Non-Renewable
Transition to Actors
Environmental Groups Bring Foreboding Proof to the Public about Russia’s New Radioactive Waste Bill
A group of powerful Russian environmentalists on Wednesday slammed as “horrifying,” “unbalanced,” and “irresponsible” a new legislation effort on the management and disposal of radioactive waste that is now under debated in the Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, the environmental groups told Bellona Tuesday.
Actors > Civil society > NGOs > Environment
