Development of the Energy Sector in Russia on the Basis of Renewable Energy Sources
According to the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, in 2019 electricity generation in the Unified Energy System (UES) amounted to 1080.6 billion kWh, most of which falls on the share of thermal power plants. The use of renewable energy sources is a perspective direction for the development of the country's energy sector. The aim of the study is to analyze the condition of the Russian energy sector based on renewable energy sources and the perspectives for its development. The paper presents the structure of electricity generation in the UES of Russia by types of power plants in 2019. It has been established that the share of renewable energy sources accounts for 17.76% (191,915 GWh) of the total generation of electricity, of which 17.61% is the share of hydroelectric power plants and only 0.15% is the share of solar and wind power plants. The article also provides the structure of electricity generation in the countries that actively use renewable energy sources. The leading positions in this area are occupied by China and the United States, in the total electricity generation balance of which renewable energy sources account for 26% (1,904,500 GWh) and 17% (708,050 GWh), respectively. Due to the existing competition in the Russian market, in 2019 the average capital costs for the construction of solar and wind power plants decreased by 59.5%, (from 122.8 to 49.8 thousand rubles/kW) and by 58.2% ( from 155.1 to 64.9 thousand rubles/kW), respectively, as compared to 2015. The measures taken by the state to support the development of renewable energy, as well as a significant reduction in capital costs for the construction of new solar and wind power plants, can become a serious incentive for the development of this energy sector in Russia.