Report - UNDP Russia

One of the major benefits of renewableenergy is that it reduces greenhouse gasemissions, by reducing combustion of fossil fuels.The Russian energy sector, particularlythe electricity generating sub-sector, isresponsible for the biggest share of man-madegreenhouse gas emissions in the country (60%and 25% respectively). Most emissions aregenerated by burning of fossil fuels such as oil,natural gas and associated gas, coal, peat andoil shale, and their derivatives. The Russianenergy sector is also responsible for particulateemissions from extraction, storage,transportation, processing and consumption ofoil, gas and coal, as well as emissions from gasflaring and other combustions of fuels withoutuseful application of the energy produced.Most renewable energy systems onlycontribute to GHG emissions during theirconstruction and produce zero or very little CO 2emissions during their operation. Open-loopgeothermal systems and biomass areexceptions to this rule, but technologies thatuse biomass can be regarded as ‘neutral’ interms of carbon dioxide emissions, since theCO 2 produced by biomass burning waspreviously absorbed during the plant's lifecycle. Emissions by open-loop geothermalsystems are tens of times less than emissionsfrom a traditional power station for the sameamount of energy produced.Atmospheric concentrations of harmfulsubstances are highest in big cities with highpopulation density. This has negative impact onpublic health (particularly child health) since themajority of the Russian population lives in citiesand towns.Energy production from renewableenergy sources can make a significantcontribution to development of high-techengineering and creation of jobs in Russia’sregions. Increased use of renewables in Russiawould help to reduce unemployment, improveliving conditions, and stop the outflow ofpopulation from rural areas, and from northernand eastern regions of the country. Developmentof renewable forms of energy in Russia wouldTable 6.1Employment levels using various electricitygenerating technologies (jobs/mW)TechnologyConstructionstageOperationalstageWind power plants 2.6 0.2Geothermal powerplantsSolar photovoltaiccellsSolarthermal panel4.0 1.77.2 0.15.7 0.2Biomass (average) 3.7 2.3Natural gastechnology1.0 0.1Source: Heavner B., Churchill S., Renewables work (2002): Job Growthfrom Renewable Energy Development in Californiaavert further environmental degradation andpromote and protect public health and welfare.Closing the gap with other countries inlarge-scale development of renewable is apolitical challenge of the utmost importance ifRussia is to maintain its status as a world powerand play a significant role in solving the world'senergy problems.6.3. The current situation andoutlook for developmentof renewables in RussiaRussia has enormous potential forrenewables, but their current share in totalelectricity production is as little as 0.9%. There areno statistics available for the amounts of heatproduced using renewables, but some expertsestimate that it is about 4% of the total.‘Technical’ potential for generation inRussia using renewables (i.e. the amount ofgeneration, which is theoretically possible usingexisting renewable technologies to the utmost) hasbeen estimated at 24 billion tonnes of fuelequivalent per year (not including potential of largerivers), which is over 20 times more than Russia’s111