Fossil Fuel Rich Russia against Bird Killing Wind Energy Industry

Russia is one of the world’s largest exporters of fossil fuels (oil and gas) and has huge reserves as well.The Russian Economic Resurgence has been mainly due to the appreciation of the prices of oil and gas ,billions of dollars which are exported to Europe.Like the Middle East countries,Russia too does not believe too much in Renewable Energy.Despite a solid technological base in high tech and expertise in Energy Industry,Russia has hardly any Green Industry to speak of . Its weak efforts in Alternative Energy (Nitol Solar and others) have come a cropper without any domestic support.

Russia huge huge wind and solar energy resources with hundreds of gigawatts of potential.It also has great geothermal  energy resources as well however most of them are not developed at all.There is no significant support for Renewable Energy Resource as well with Green Energy capacity in low double digits (15 MW of Wind in 2006).With Putin calling Wind Turbine hazardous to birds and causing Environmental Problems,It looks like Russian Leadership will not change its Fossil Fuel Centric Policy any time soon.Note the Wind Energy Industry has advanced a lot with newer Wind Turbines resulting in much lower noise and bird losses.While Middle East Countries are dead against Climate Change efforts,they are developing Nuclear Energy and some Renewable Energy for exporting more Energy.However Russia does not even want to do that despite being a leader in Nuclear Energy.

Note Russia has one of the highest per capita emissions and is one of the world’s largest emitters  of GHG emissions as well.It producers just 1% of its energy from Renewable Energy which is much lower than the world average and seems to have no intention of increasing it.With its leader focused on the bird killing aspects of Wind Turbines,rather than thinking of Global Warming,Green Energy does not have much of a future in Russia.

Russia’s Putin says wind turbines kill birds

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday that wind power can pose environmental risks, casting doubts over plans to develop this alternative energy source in the oil-rich country.

Putin, who has overseen all major energy deals Russia made in recent years, is keen for the country to maintain its role as a major oil and gas producer. He has repeatedly expressed his skepticism about alternative energy.

“Windmills, which are so widespread in many European countries seem to be an environmentally friendly kind (of energy), but in fact they kill birds,” Putin told a conference of his United Russia party in the Far East.

“Vibration there is such that worms come out of the ground, not to mention moles. This is a real environmental problem,” he said, adding that solar energy was the only alternative source that was entirely harmless.

Renewable energy accounts for only 1 percent of all power generated in Russia