Environmental Considerations Related to Generation Facilities in the Regions of the Asian Part of Russia

Abstract

The features unique to the operation of energy facilities in the Asian part of Russia influence environmental agenda setting in these regions. The Asian regions account for a large share of Russia's mix of air pollutant emissions and production of coal ash, with boiler plants responsible for a significant part of their amounts. Particulate matter and sulfur oxides dominate the ingredient composition of pollutant emissions, unlike in European Russia. From an environmental point of view, what makes regions of the Asian part of Russia stand apart in a rather egregious way is the large proportion of cities with high levels of air pollution. Of the 37 such cities in the country, 27 are located in Siberia and the Russian Far East. The regions of the Asian part of Russia, due to the predominance of coal in their fuel balances, are characterized by a high share of CO2 emissions from generation facilities. Specific carbon dioxide emissions in the Asian regions are 1.5 times higher than in the European part of the Russian Federation. Given that in the near future it is unlikely for coal to be completely eliminated from fuel balances of the Asian regions, in order to decarbonize Russia's energy sector, a number of strategies of low-carbon development should be developed for these regions.