Energy Efficiency and Development of Renewables

Russia's Approach

Author(s): Vyacheslav Kulagin
Editor(s): Jeronim Perovic, Robert Orttung, Matthias Neumann, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 46
Pages: 2-8
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Publication Year: 2008

Russia is not only one of the leading exporters of energy, but also a major consumer. Since energy has been relatively cheap in Russia, industry and households engage in extremely wasteful practices. Plans are underway to raise domestic prices for natural gas and electricity and bring them up to European standards. Hopefully, realistic prices will push the country toward a more efficient use of energy. The threat of global warming does not drive Russian policies. Rather, the main impetus for enhancing energy efficiency is to meet rising energy demands at home and maintain, or even increase, export volumes. This article provides an overview of the challenges and problems involved in increasing energy efficiency levels in Russia, and also analyzes Russia's potential to use renewable energies. The main problem is that Russia pays considerably less attention to energy efficiency and the development of renewables than Europe or the USA. This neglect arises from Russia's massive fossil fuel reserves, which provide little stimuli for an urgent development of alternative sources and the implementation of energy efficiency measures.

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