Renewable energy in Russia: markets, development and technology transfer

E. Martinot

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 1999, vol. 3, issue 1, 49-75

Abstract: Five potential markets in Russia offer commercial opportunities for renewable energy that are nearly cost-competitive with conventional forms of energy--grid-connected electricity from wind power, electricity for villages and small settlements from hybrid wind-diesel and biomass, district heating for buildings from biomass, hot water for buildings from solar thermal, and electricity and heat from geothermal. Over the last several decades the Soviet Union conducted research and development on several forms of renewable energy. Technological infrastructure, scientific and technical knowledge, engineering and technical skills, and factories and equipment are all well developed assets. But the translation of these assets into commercial renewable energy technologies and markets is a problem because associated market-oriented skills and institutions are still lacking. Many barriers also exist, including lack of information and demonstration experience, lack of long-term commercial financing, a perceived climate of high investment risk, technology acceptance, some direct and indirect energy price subsidies (most energy prices have risen to "market" levels), utility monopolies and the absence of operational regulatory frameworks for independent power producers, and historical enterprise specialization. Market intermediation is very important for renewable-energy investments and technology transfer, providing the knowledge, information, skills, services, financing, and analysis that is necessary to overcome barriers. Joint ventures with foreign multinational corporations represent another important means for overcoming barriers, one that takes advantage of Russian technological capabilities. Four case studies illustrate the most prominent examples of renewable energy technology transfer with Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic States during the period 1992-1996.

Date: 1999
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (19)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364-0321(99)00002-7
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:3:y:1999:i:1:p:49-75

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 600126/bibliographic

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is currently edited by L. Kazmerski

More articles in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().