Now, due to the Russian government's support plan for renewable energy, the local solar energy may be about to expand significantly. Russia is the world's fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and historically has relied on its abundant oil and natural gas reserves to support its economy. But the Kremlin has begun to pay attention to the global climate emergency. Before the key COP26 climate summit in Glasgow this week, President Putin promised that Russia will achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Most people estimate that this is not a very ambitious goal, mainly due to the country's promotion of oil and gas exports in the foreseeable future.

Russia's solar energy project began to vigorously build

According to the Russian Renewable Energy Development Association (RREDA), solar energy is the most mature renewable energy source because the technology has been improved, reducing its power generation price by half to between 4,300 and 6,300 rubles ($62-92) per MWh. It depends on geography and local competition. Anton Usachev, deputy director of HEVEL, Russia's largest solar panel company, said that Russia usually has low temperatures and few sunny days, but this does not mean that it cannot produce solar energy on a large scale. Unigreen Energy, a Moscow-based renewable energy company, has received government assurances that it will pay additional costs for increasing electricity from the local grid. The company said Russia has enough sunlight — solar radiation hits objects — to produce solar energy.

The company said in a statement: “The intensity of sunlight in most parts of Russia is very high — more than 1,000 — which is the level required to generate energy.” Experts from Unigreen and HEVEL both said that many of Russia’s Arctic settlements Both can benefit from solar-diesel hybrid power plants, which will reduce costs and solve supply chain and shortage problems. "Local authorities can really cut diesel expenditure now. But the most important thing is that people can get 24/7 electricity," Usachev said, pointing to the recently completed HEVEL project in the frozen Chukotka region of the Far East. He added that the Arctic cold actually helps protect solar energy because solar panels lose less energy in cold weather. On a clear, sunny day, a solar panel in the North Pole may generate more electricity than a solar panel in Morocco.

Russia is facing an uphill battle in trying to switch from fossil fuels to renewable and other clean energy sources. About 10% of the electricity in the global economy comes from wind and solar power, while in Russia, the share of solar energy is only 0.2%. According to Russian Greenpeace, the government provides trillions of rubles in tax incentives to fossil fuel companies every year, even if they have already realized the same amount of profit. However, while fossil fuels are still the overwhelming foundation of the economy, the pandemic highlights how vulnerable global supply chains are in the face of emergencies. As the Kremlin introduced new carbon emissions and air pollution regulations, some regions began to consider reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. Tatiana Lanshina, director of the think-tank "Goal No. 7 Association", said that Omsk, Altai and Zabaikal regions, the Sakha Republic, and other regions of Siberia and the Russian Far East have launched their firsts in recent years. A solar power plant. Keywords: engineering news, engineering construction

Although Russia has not yet proposed an official updated national climate strategy before COP26, and Putin himself will not attend, many people believe that initial signs of a change in attitude are imminent. As a country that almost denies climate in action, any future movement must be considered positive. Editor/Xing Wentao