2 Wind Energy Resources in Russia
2 Wind Energy Resources in Russia
2 Wind Energy Resources in Russia
Russia is one of the biggest countries in the world and it is situated in different
climatic zones, which result in high wind energy potential. Mostly highest wind
energy potential is concentrated along Russia Federation seacoasts, in the vast
territories of steppes and in the mountains (Fig.2.1). This map was shown in the
book of Diakov et al, (3), and was the first and only one in this time. Now, due to
the work (11) by Russian-Danish Institute there is much more precise results, and
software equipped wind map of Russia and shown at the figure 2.2. But the maps
were made in different projection, justifying our using both of them. Estimation of
wind energy potential of Russia has been done several times. One of the first
figure, was calculated in 1935, defined resources as 18000 TWh for USSR, as a
whole (21). The latest estimations, mentioned in (3,18) are shown in Tables 2.1-
2.3. That was the time then prices were comparatively stable, and that was the last
time, when the economical wind energy potential was estimated (of course,
according to methods of socialists economy). Total technical wind energy potential
in Russia is estimated in 2000 mln. tons of equivalent fuel (3, 18).
In Russia it is very popular to show how many fuel could be economized, if wind
power replaces traditional thermal power stations. For such a comparison they use
specific fuel consumption equal to 320 grams of equivalent fuel per 1 kWh of
electricity. In this case the total saved fuel from technical wind resources (6218
TWh) will be about 2000 mln. tons of equivalent fuel (fuel with specific thermal
capacity 7000 kcal/kg). The estimates are very similar to the figures, mentioned in
the fundamental book “Renewable Energy” edited by T.B.Johansson (22) page
196, where Drs. Michael J. Grubb and Niels I. Meyer wrote: “In 1989, the USSR
submitted a wind resources estimate of 2000 TWh per year to the World Energy
Conference, but overall resources must be far higher. We have been unable to
obtain a more accurate estimate of the region’s exploitable wind resources”.
We suppose, that due to poorly made translation of Russian delegates report,
Western expert misunderstood the figures.
In the table 2.1 are shown figures, which characterized gross and technical wind
energy resources distribution on European and Asian parts of Russia.
Wind Energy Resources in Russia
Table 2.1
Name of the region Gross wind energy Technical
resources, TWh/year resources,
TWh/year
European part of Russia 29600 2308
Siberia and Far East 50400 3910
Totally 80000 6218
There are several reasons to study the territory and wind resources of Russia in
two different parts of the country – European and Asian (Siberia and Far East).
The first reason is rather different industrial development and population
density. Second is great difference in infastracture of electricity production and
distribution. And the last, but not least is the reason, which has arisen in 1996,
when Unified All-Russian Power System was divided into two power systems –
European and Siberian. In its own turn the Siberian power system in fact consits
of two almost independent systems – Siberian and Far East systems.
The European part of Russia is most highly developed territory with high
population density. More, then 65% of electricity or about 700 TWh a year is
consuming in European part (18,19). Here are situated all nuclear power,
stations, excluding Bilibino NPS with 48 MW of installed capacity (19).
The share of hydropower electricity production in European parts energy
balance is about 8,5%, the share of nuclear power is about 13%. The rest come
from the production of traditional thermal power stations. The stations using gas
as fuel makes up 71%, and the rest 29% are the coal-firing power stations.
The economical hydropower potential of Russian Federation is about 852 Twh
per a year, in European part there are only 131 TWh a year. Technical
hydropotential is about 300 TWh per a year.
In table 2.2 is shown the distribution of gross and technical potential according
to economical regions of European Russia. In Northern economical region are
included, according official administration division, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk
and Vologda oblasts and Komi and Karelija Republics. Comparison of the data
from table 2.2 and technical hydropower resources confirm the great future of
wind energy.
Distribution of wind energy resources on economic regions of European
part of Russia
Table 2.2
Economical region Gross wind energy Technical resources,
resources, TWh/year TWh/year
Northern 11040 860
North-West 1280 100
Central 2560 200
Volgo-Viatskij 2080 160
Central-Chernozem 1040 80
Volga 4160 325
North Caucasus 2560 200
Ural 4880 383
Totally 29600 2308
The scientific researches, made by Kola Science Center (9), have defined the
technical wind power resources of Northern region, excluding Vologda oblast,
as 2000 TWh per year. This figure is more, than two times higher, than the
estimation, made in (3). Taking this information into account lets try to find
what could be 20% of 2020 year European part electricity consumption. If we
take the data of 1990 year (733 TWh) in this case 20% should be about 150
TWh, that is very small in comparison with wind energy technical potential. So
it should not be the potential, limits the wind power development.
In Asian part of Russia, which is equal to 80% of all-Russia territory, live 20%
of all-Russia population. Here are produced 35% of Russian electricity, and
about 70% of it is produced by hydropower stations. Thermal power stations
using coal as fuel make 62% share of all thermal power stations of Far East and
Siberia. Rest of them use oil and gas.
There is not such high-developed regional power systems as in European part of
Russia, and especially the developed intersystem power connections (Figure
2.3).
At the same time in East and West Siberia and in Far East of Russia are located
85% of Russian gas resources, 65% of oil fields and 75% of coal deposits, as
well, as 80% of economical hydro power potential. They are equal to 721 TWh
a year.
Here operates only one relatively small (48 MW) nuclear power station. The
possibility of implementing large-scale wind power development here could be
only in Magadan region and Primorskij kraj (the district around Vladivostok
city). But in Primorskij kraj they have only low operating thermal power
stations, and the grid is not developed enough.
Table 3.3
Economical region Gross wind energy Technical resources,
resources, TWh/year TWh/year
West Siberia 12880 1000
East Siberia 13520 1050
Far East 24000 1860
Totally 50400 3910