Energy supply of remote and isolated territories is a promising area for RES application in Russia. For now the main source for electricity generation in remote areas, isolated from the unified energy system of Russia is a diesel energy generation plant. The price of fuel, electric energy and thermal energy in Russian isolated energy supply systems are among the highest in the world. On average economically feasible tariffs for electric energy are between 30 and 60 Rub but in some areas reach 200 to 300 Rub for 1 kWh. This is because of high diesel supply costs, high wear of equipment or its aging.

Use of stand-alone hybrid energy systems will allow consumers in remote areas to minimize diesel costs and reduce energy supply costs.

Key features for the use of stand-alone hybrid energy systems:

• accurate estimation of the wind potential

• accurate estimation of solar insolation level

• right combination of different generation types based on the estimation of the energy generation by the wind farm and solar power plant and taking into account construction costs and maintenance of the equipment

• calculation of optimal capacity of stand-alone hybrid energy system storage devices to balance output power, increase the use factor of generated power while excluding failures of energy supply to residential areas.

• selection of a diesel generator to overcome shortages in energy production

• minimizing of the solution cost due to the above listed factors.

The Altren team and its partners have relevant qualification and experience in energy supply to remote areas, in performing of all necessary calculations and technical and economic feasibility study for the use of stand-alone hybrid energy systems based on renewable energy sources. In addition to that, we can perform “turnkey” projects with involvement of high-level experts together with those who have international experience in this field.

General layout of a stand-alone hybrid energy system:

Stages:

• Assessment of the site where the diesel generation to be substituted with RES generation. At this stage the location of the site is assessed, wind potential is estimated with the use of the data from the public domain, solar energy potential is assessed as well as logistics, current state of diesel generation, economically justified current energy cost and fuel cost component in the tariff. After that, the preliminary decision for the possibility to use hybrid systems based on RES is taken.

• Preliminary technical and financial feasibility study of the project. At this stage the configuration of a stand-alone hybrid energy system is defined to provide balance of electricity generation from wind, solar, diesel and storage systems. Here we do the following: perform detailed calculation of the project, collect technical and commercial quotations from partners, determine and set time for completion of the project and time for delivery of equipment, assess energy generation, calculate the project business case and payback period, calculate cost of yield for 1 kWh for the required period.

• Approval of the project by the regional government and municipality (if necessary). At this stage options for interaction of all project participants are discussed, all necessary memorandums and agreements are signed (in case of necessity).

• Search for investor. At this stage the project is presented to the investor, all project features are discussed in all directions: interaction with the regional government and municipality (if necessary), legal structure of a deal, financial and technical aspects.

• Stage for preliminary implementation of the project. At this stage we perform: extra wind monitoring (if necessary), in-depth evaluation of all stages, conclusion of preliminary agreements for all types of work, including surveying, designing, delivery, assembling, commissioning of the equipment and service. All possible risks of the project implementation are mitigated, all completion periods and cost of work and equipment are fixed.

• Project implementation. At this stage a diesel generator is replaced with a stand-alone hybrid energy system based on RES.

Since the cost of the whole project is quite expensive, and implementation period is significantly long, Altren offers to its customers performing of express evaluation of the possibility of the application of renewable energy sources in their sites. Our staff will assess the wind potential using a paid data base, level of solar insolation, logistics, perform analysis of technical solution and select generating equipment, calculate the estimated cost of the project on the basis of load schedules and possibilities of RES, service costs and expected energy generation.

You can check the cost of works at info@altren.ru.