AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
7 Opportunities of State Support of SMEs in the Energy
Sector Based on RES and Smart Grid
The RES projects in Russia are implemented with the support of
the Industrial Development Fund. Besides, such projects can be
supported through a special investment contract. Further
development of small and microprojects of alternative energy at
the local level can be supported under the terms of syndicated
lending by means of special project financing societies. Such
green foundations can be represented by VetroOGK and
NovaVind public companies.
Positive factors in the development of renewable energy projects
in the Russian Federation include considerable progress in the
development of green energy technology. In particular, the
increase in the efficiency of solar cells and the development of
storage technologies makes it possible to obtain solar energy
even in polar latitudes. This leads to increased availability and
cheaper solar-wind power plants, even in the piece version, not
to mention combined options. Another development driver is the
possibility of using hybrid stations that combine the use of
renewable energy and hydrocarbons.
It should be noted that the greatest interest in renewable energy
projects is shown, first of all, by nonstate-owned companies. In
order to increase their interest and, consequently, increase the
amount of investment, the state needs to create an attractive
climate for activity in this area. Currently, this is implemented
through the mechanism of power supply agreements (PSA). In
particular, such agreements allowed attracting an additional 3.6
trillion rubles of private investment to the electric power
industry in 2008-2014. As a result, the installed capacity of the
country's energy system has already increased by more than 20
GW, and another 7 GW are coming soon. If the cost
compensation by the state and the guaranteed purchase of power
capacities and electric energy have worked for traditional power
engineering, then, as experts believe, one can expect a similar
result for the alternative power engineering [14, 15].
The public-private partnership mechanism is another option for
cooperation. Today, such cases are rare in Russia and mainly
depend on the attitude of regional and local authorities. The most
relevant example is the Center for Alternative Energy, which is
planned to be created in Khimki near Moscow.
However, small and medium-sized businesses can take the
initiative to solve together with the authorities the problem of
getting money for green projects. It is enough to agree on the
launch of the so-called circulation of green bonds.
The first green bond was issued in 2007. For the first time, such
securities were traded on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange in
2016. But as far as by the beginning of 2018, investors have
bought green bonds for 384 bln dollars worldwide. As of 2018,
the largest amounts of financing for alternative energy have been
attracted through green bonds by the USA (82 bln USD), China
(48 bln), France (43 bln), and Germany (25 bln). Mainly, the
governments of the mentioned states were the issuers of such
securities. Note that yet in China the circulation of green bonds
is widespread only in five provinces. Among the Eastern Europe
countries, Poland has similar experience.
Small and medium-sized entrepreneurs will be wise to cooperate
with local authorities to reduce the cost of issuing green bonds,
and then to increase investment in renewable energy.
In addition, in the light of the fact that there are prerequisites for
the development of RES through venture funds in order to
encourage the implementation of renewable energy projects, it is
necessary to create attractive conditions aimed at developing
high-risk investments in the Russian Federation, as well as to
establish a special system of motivation on the part of the state in
order to create venture funds and companies. It is necessary also
to carry out constant monitoring of the state of affairs in the
innovation sector, strengthen the protection of intellectual
property rights, and provide adequate information support to
venture investors ensuring a high level of quality and reliability
of the information provided.
8 Conclusion
In general, it can be argued that alternative energy in Russia
continues developing. However, in the short term, the main
burden falls on private companies, including SMEs in the energy
sector. The state, for its part, should create the most favorable
working conditions for them, knowing what benefits it will bring
in the future.
According to expert assessment [11], the combined effect for the
Russian economy from the renewable energy projects
development will amount to 200 bln rubles. At that, over 80 bln
rubles will go directly to the budgets of different levels and
extrabudgetary funds in the form of taxes, duties, and insurance
premiums. Export income will exceed 90 bln rubles, while the
environmental costs will decrease by 20 bln rubles. In the field
of alternative energy, 25,000 jobs will be created and more than
100,000 jobs will appear in the related industry sectors.
Expected results from the implementation of Smart Grid systems
include the following:
using energy resources more efficiently;
improving the reliability of power supply, reducing the
time of emergency shutdown;
increasing the utilization efficiency of electrical networks’
equipment;
increasing transit amount of electric energy (up to 40-50%)
excluding construction of new grid facilities;
reducing the cost of electric energy production and energy
loss in electric networks;
activating distributed generation and overall growth of
RES application;
reducing the adverse environmental impact of energy
facilities (reduction of CO2 emissions into the
atmosphere);
providing two-way communication with the consumer;
identifying irrational use and theft of electric power,
damage to equipment, as well as reducing the cost of
energy resources when implementing differentiated tariffs
that is very important and appropriate for SMEs.
In the framework of the implementation of Smart Grid systems’
concept and methodology, the requirements of all stakeholders
should be taken into account. This concerns the state, generating,
network, and energy supply companies, as well as consumers,
and equipment manufacturers.
In addition, a synergetic and a multiplicative effect from the
development of alternative energy and Smart Grid systems is
expected, assuming the impact of this industry sector on the
GDP of the Russian Federation through the development of
metallurgical, engineering, and electrical industries, as well as
power electronics, transport, and telecommunications sectors,
information technologies, production of innovative energy-
saving building materials, etc.
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