Many settlements in the Arctic, including those in remote areas, some of which use energy generated by diesel power plants (DPS), are located near rivers. For example, mining is often associated with the development of alluvial deposits along the banks. The mouths of such rivers have sections suitable for SHPPs.
"Mixed electricity from SHPPs and DPS can be used to provide many facilities: enterprises in the mining industry, in the extraction and processing of solid minerals, in the tourism sector, since many tourist infrastructure facilities are located precisely on water bodies or near them, and green energy using there will increase their attractiveness," the expert said.
According to Vorotnikov, SHPP can also be used in the production infrastructure of the traditional economic activities of indigenous peoples. The expert emphasized that DPS negatively affects the Arctic ecology, increases the carbon footprint and hinders the transition to carbon neutrality.
“Mixed generation makes it possible to use solar power plants (SPP) and wind power plants (WPP), as well as storage devices. Such projects <…> are quite widely used in Yakutia. In the Russian Arctic, unfortunately, SHPPs practically are not built, although these facilities have proven their effectiveness for the production of "clean" energy, and existing technologies already allow to be used for hybrid generation, along with wind and solar energy.<...> SHPPs do not cause a destructive effect on nature and are green, he added.
The environmental direction is one of the priorities of the Arctic Council chaired by Russia. Earlier,Alexei Chekunkov, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East, noted that the Arctic is the region that takes on the main burden as a result of climate change.