Wednesday, 31 October 2018 at 1:30 pm – Wednesday, 31 October 2018 at 3:00 pm
Olga Khrushcheva - Critical evaluation of the RES support mechanism in Russia
Date: Wednesday 31st October 2018
Time: 1.30pm – 3pm
Location: Annexe, Number 70 Oxford Street, Manchester Metropolitan University
Tickets: Free – available on Eventbrite: https://olga-khrushcheva.eventbrite.com
In 2017, renewable energy (RES) contributed almost 50% of the growth in the power generation worldwide. Many countries increased the share of RES in gross final energy consumption. For instance, more than half (about 54%) of Swedish energy is coming from RES. In 2016, share of renewables in Finland was 38.7%, in Austria (33.5%), in Romania 25%, and in Russia, this share is only about 1%. Alexey Texler, the first deputy Minister of Energy, explains this modest figure by a different priorities: the EU member states are driven by the need to reduce dependence on external energy supplies, and Russia aims achieve ‘technological independence’ in the RES sector. To encourage it, the government developed the unique support scheme.
The Decree N449 adopted in 2013 established the support mechanism based on the guaranteed capacity requirements: selected RES projects receive payments for 15 years for maintaining agreed capacity to generate electricity. All new RES installations are required to meet local content requirement – to be at least partially produced or assembled in Russia. The scheme is expected to run until 2024.
This presentation will evaluate the effectiveness of the scheme in promoting the RES in Russia by using the following criteria:
- How many new RES installation plans were approved and completed as compared to the yearly limits for new RES capacity generation set in the Resolution N861 of May 2013?
- How attractive the RES sector is for domestic and foreign investors?
- How effective is the scheme in encouraging ‘technological independence’ from relying on imported equipment and expertise?
Part of the Politics, International Relations and Public Services Research Seminar Series at Manchester Met