During the 12th Russian International Energy Forum, progression patterns for the Russian energy sector will be settled. Some of them are increasing reliability of the sector, getting ready for high local demand, and green energy opportunities. This was announced by participants of the Plenary Session ‘Russian energy industry development in modern conditions. New internal and external challenges.’
‘During the Energy Forum, we had important issues brought up in the context of the actual conditions and challenges encountered by the energy industry. I trust during the event the participants of sessions and round table discussions will get answers to the questions raised and have a chance to offer up-to-date solutions to all the issues included into the agenda,’ stated Alexey Zhikharev, Director of the Renewable Energy Development Association, CEO at ENSOLVE.
Konstantin Simonov, CEO of the National Energy Security Fund, agreed that the challenges offered by the industry have to be talked about. ‘The current situation is rather unprecedented, and an honest discussion of our problems can’t be called unnecessary. During the Plenary Session, we tried to cover lots of energy-related topics,’ he commented. According to Mr. Simonov, the global issues within the industry are related to investments and import substitution. ‘As the export of electric energy reduced, we were able to redirect the flow to the domestic market. However, it is important to comprehend if the industry is ready to satisfy the growing demand for electric energy in case our rates of economic growth remain this high,’ Konstantin Simonov continued. He mentioned that during the Plenary Session a meaningful discussion took place, participated by energy industrialists and legislative state officials. Moreover, they found time to discuss the issue of electric energy tariffs rising.
Boris Gladkikh, Deputy of the State Duma affiliated with the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Member of the State Duma Committee on Energy, talked about the opportunities that RIEF offers in regard of law making. ‘There are certain issues we have to deal with respect to understanding, to feedback from the industry, to legal regulations. It takes us 3 to 5 years to impose a law. Venues like this are our valuable tool, a place where we can talk about the matters that are disputable for the legal and executive authorities and then use the information obtained for our further proceedings,’ the political official explained. According to Mr. Gladkikh, the Forum helps to adjust the course followed when making legal solutions and to give momentum to the industrial sector. ‘The Forum is some kind of a club that offers potential for propositions, insights, and reasonable criticism,’ Boris believes. According to the Deputy, the most essential topic as regards to regulation of the industry is the Russian state turning towards extension and reliability enhancement of its heat supply market. ‘We need this sector to be reliable, to prevent intermittent tariff growth, to add transparency, and to increase quality for our consumers. All of these issues should be discussed out loud for the welfare of our citizens,’ Boris Gladkikh resumed. Further reforms and laws relevant to this industry are directly related to reliability and safety of Russia’s municipal sector, the Deputy said. Further, the changes are going to reach the gas supply system, too.
During a talk with the media representatives, the experts touched on the issue of green energy development in Russia. ‘I believe, the prospects are quite bright. Thanks to the state program of energy development initiated as early as in 2013 and the state support, Russia has got a sustainable green energy cluster, which comprises competences for design, operation, and equipment production in the areas of sun, wind, and hydro energies,’ Alexey Zhikharev declared. He emphasized that the last thing is especially topical with regard to sanction restrictions. ‘This is a win-win situation for the green energy sector, as the relevant industry in Russia has been built for 10 years,’ Mr. Zhikharev explained. According to his evaluation, at the moment the existing energy system is capable of about 6 GW of green generation, and by 2035 it will have got about 10 to 11 GW more.
‘These are great investment signals both for the industrial sector, for generation, and for out-of-sector companies that provide consulting, financial, and engineering services,’ Alexey Zhikharev thinks.
However, Konstantin Simonov takes a more careful attitude when it comes to alternative energy sources. ‘I am a long-standing advocate of Russian traditional energy, and I am positive that we shouldn’t switch to alternative energy sources only for the sake of hot trends. On other hand, if the renewable energy sector can demonstrate its efficiency, if it is profitable, then we naturally should try it, especially as there are areas with energy shortage,’ he explained his position.
Alexey Zhikharev specified that in some regions, for example in Siberia, they are getting short of electric energy, and there renewable energy sources can be a good solution, as building green power stations takes shorter than the traditional ones – only about 2 years, and it is cheaper. According to the speaker, green energy costs half the energy generated by a coal station. The demand expected in the renewable energy segment is about 5 GW.