Russia: Much interest for alternative energy

In the coming years Russia will spend a lot of money extracting energy from alternative sources. Wind energy receives priority status, but solar energy, biogas and hydropower are on the agenda as well.

Compared to many countries, Russia is still far behind when it comes to the use of alternative energy. The country, however, has an enormous potential of natural energy. The accession of Russia to the WTO increased the need for biogas. It is Russia’s desire to bring the price levels of natural gas on par with those of Western countries. This of course means increasing the price. This measure takes away the benefit of cheap fossil fuels and opens doors to alternative energy sources. Especially the regions with high livestock, like Belgorod, are suitable for biogas plants.

Last October saw a conference on the subject in The Netherlands, where representatives from industry, academia and government convened to discuss bioenergy. The organization was in the hands of the Russian Energy Agency, the Russian Ministry of Energy and the Dutch energy agency, which falls under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.

Part of the meeting were several visits to Dutch businesses engaged in the development and exploitation of alternative, sustainable energy. In the Russian province of Murmansk over 20 projects are already underway to achieve the same sustainable goals.

In Luvenge a boiler house runs on sawdust, wood chips and pellets, to reduce the village’s energy usage. Also, factories for the development of biofuels from agricultural waste and wind-diesel power stations are built in remote areas of Murmansk.

Source: www.ekwadraat.com