Is solar energy on the verge of a major expansion in Russia?

Solar energy in Russia might be on the verge of a major expansion thanks to a government support program for renewable energy sources, industry experts told The Moscow Times.

Where in Russia will a solar power plant be built?

In other parts of Russia, in particular, in the city of Narimanov, it is planned to build a solar power plant with a capacity of 25 million kWh/year. The Far East is not far behind. To meet the energy demand, a solar power plant with a capacity of 40 MW is planned to be built in the Republic of Sakha.

What is Russia's current share of solar power?

While the global economy gets roughly 10% of its power from wind and solar sources, in Russia, solar’s share is just 0.2%. As the third-largest carbon emitter in human history, Russia faces an uphill battle in its attempts to move from fossil fuels to renewable and other sources of clean energy.

Does Russia have sufficient solar energy?

Despite the common misconception, Russia has more than enough insolation to produce solar energy. Moscow-based renewables company Unigreen Energy, which has received a government guarantee for its solar power contributions, confirms this.

How many solar power plants are there in Russia?

Insolation map of Russia (Map of Insolation of Russia, 2019). At the beginning of 2020, thirteen solar power plants with a total installed capacity of more than 300 MW are already operating in this region (Solar Power Plants in the Orenburg Region, 2019).

How many integrated power systems are there in Russia?

The seven integrated power systems of Russia's unified power system. The geographically isolated energy systems are Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Kamchatka Territory, Sakhalin, and Magadan Oblast, Norilsk energy Districts of Taimyr and Nikolaev, western energy systems of Sakha (Yakutia) [Image courtesy of eclareon, Reproduced from Ref. 30]