A 60 MW wind farm in Northern Russia by 2020

By Alexander Miller, for Eurasia Network – December 14, 2016

Wind turbines – Source : S.B. 2017

The Republic of Karelia and the Chinese energy company Sinomec have signed an agreement of cooperation, which plans the building of a 60 MW wind farm.[1]

The new wind power plant near the coastal city of Kem will cost $147 million and will be achieved by 2020. Sinomec will fund the project with the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

Both companies already work together on the construction of hydro power plants in Karelia with a capacity of 48,9MW.[2]

The Head of the Republic Aleksandr Hudilainen said that this wind farm project was a new stage of the cooperation between Karelia and China and would create new jobs. It involves the hiring of 200 workers during the construction phase and 30 employees during the operation of the infrastructure.

Karelia is one of the Russian regions where wind farms are spreading.

Finnish FORTUM and Russian RUSNANO

One year ago the Finnish company Fortum decided to invest € 65 million in the building of A 35 MW wind power plant in the Ulyanovsk oblast, reported TASS.[3]

Sergey Morozov, the Governor of the Ulyanovsk oblast even said that the wind power capacity of the region could be increased up to 250 MW in the future. The entry into service is planned in the second half of 2017.

Wind is a clean and free source of renewable energy.  As the cost of wind power is falling and the battery storage technology is progressing [4] this renewable source of energy open new opportunities for states, regions and cities willing to take part in the global energy transformation. Wind power generation is growing in Russia, like electric vehicles and charging stations which are spreading slowly but surely across the country.

Last November the Finnish company Fortum and the Russian corporation Rusnano have signed a preliminary agreement to establish a consortium for the construction of wind power farms across the Russian territory. The Chairman of the Executive Board of Rusnano Anatoly Chubais said that this agreement was the first step towards achieving the goal of 3,600 MW generated by wind in Russia by 2024.[5]

Wind energy in Caucasus

Last July the state corporation Rosatom announced that it plans to build by 2020 wind farms totaling 610 MW in the Republic of Adygea, Krasnodar Krai, Rostov Oblast and Stavropol Krai and other regions with energy deficit and extensive wind potential. The new wind turbines will produce 17% of the wind energy capacity planned in Russia by 2024.[6]

Indeed, Rosatom intends to develop actively its presence in the wind power industry in order to reach new energy markets. The state-run corporation plans to invest about $ 1.4 billion in wind power generation projects until 2020, reported the daily Kommersant.[7]

According to the results of the Russian tender on investment projects in wind power generation held this year, Rosatom will open in 2018 three wind farms totaling 150 MW, ten wind farms totaling 200 MW in 2019 and thirteen wind farms totaling 260 M in 2020.

Moreover, the authorities of the Krasnodar krai have signed during the International Investment Forum of Sochi an agreement with the company Vetro OGK, a subsidiary of Rosatom, for the construction of two wind farms with 460 MW capacity for a global cost of about $1,3 billion.[8]

The general director of Vetro OGK Aleksandr Kortchagin says that his company plans to localize on the Russian territory 65% of manufacture of needed components. This ambitious target requires investments to develop the technology and the local industry.[9]

The deputy head of the krai Andreï Alekseyenko told journalists of news agency Ria Novosti that the first wind farm would open by the end of 2018.[10]

The wind power is promising in this region because the wind from Azov and Black Seas blows over large plains.

Besides, in the neighboring Republic of Adygea, the company Vetro OGK has already completed the first phase of work on the Shovgenovsky wind farm. The company has already invested in it $260 000. The 75 turbines wind farm with a 150 MW capacity will enter into service by 2018.[11]

A new wind farm in the Kaliningrad oblast

A new wind power farm with a 15 MW capacity is expected to open in the Kaliningrad oblast in 2017. The five turbines will be built in the village of Ushakovo. Private investors would fund the project with partners from Belarus and Germany and China would provide technical support.[12]

In the long term, the wind farm capacity can be up to 45 MW, said last September the head of Yantaryenergo Igor Makovskyi.[13]

So far, only one wind farm with a capacity of 5 MW is operating in the Kaliningrad oblast. The 16 turbines were imported from Danemark in 2000-2002. These Dannish turbines will be dismantled and replaced by a new wind farm built by the company Yantaryenergo.

Towards a national production of wind turbines

Furthermore, the state corporation Rosatom is looking for a partner among global manufacturers of wind power equipments in order to localize in Russia the production, reported the daily Kommersant.[14]

An industrial basis already exists in Russia to support this project. The company Atomenergomash is already able to produce secondary pieces for wind farms.

The general director of Rosatom Sergeï Kirienko even announced last September that the Russian company Atommash, a subsidiary of Atomenergomash which manufactures steam generators and equipment for nuclear plants will produce pieces for wind turbines.[15]

Moreover, the industrial holding Rotec produces steam turbines and power generation equipments.[16]

In addition, the manufacturer Prepreg-SKM, owned by the Holding Company Composite and Rusnano could become a supplier of rotor blades for wind farms in Russia. Prereg-SKM already produces semi-finished composite materials based on nanomodified carbon and mineral fibers that could enable light but resistant blades for wind turbines.[17]

Besides, during a business congress of nanotechnology industry Anatoly Chubais said that the corporation Rosnano intends to invest in Russian production of equipment for wind farms.[18]

As Russia has fixed the goal of 3,600 MW wind energy capacity by 2024, the recent wind farms projects in the Republic of Karelia, Kaliningrad oblast, Ulyanovsk oblast, the Republic of Adygea, Krasnodar Krai, Rostov Oblast and Stavropol Krai will help the country to develop its own wind power industry.

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