Giant renewable energy plan for Russia

Most of the investments is planned to go to bio-energy and wind-power projects, reports The Moscow Times.

The initative is called Russian Renewable Energy Program and will in cooperation with the Russian Energy Agency work with the government to develop a regulatory framework to assist renewable energy projects.

- Our ambition is to invest in about 30 real projects over the next five years, says program manager Patrick Willems, interviewed by The Moscow Times.

Russia is today the fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. The new five-year programme is expected to install 205 megawatts of renewable generation and capacity and by that cut the emission by five million tons annually of greenhouse gases.

In the Barents Region, both the Norwegian Barents Secretariat and the Norwegian Foreign Ministry have supported projects on energy saving. Energy efficiency centres are set up in all Russian member regions of the Barents Region, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Karelia, Nenets and Komi.

Read also: €400 million for regional energy efficiency programs in Russia

Several of the projects initiated by the energy efficiency centres in the Barents Region have involved bio-energy projects, where older heavy-oil power generators are shifted with bio-powered heaters.

Also, the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) has worked in close cooperation with regional partners in the Russian part of the Barents Region to initiate renewable energy projects and energy efficiency projects.