Updating
the regulatory framework could help adapt approaches to forecasting electricity
consumption and make the system more flexible and efficient. Not only could the
use of power reserves ensure reliable energy supplies, it could also help
reduce electricity tariffs for end consumers. The inefficient and unsustainable
use of thermal energy requires a revision of existing consumption models and
the introduction of innovative technologies. Modern approaches to forecasting
energy demand could become the basis for the sustainable development of the
energy sector in the future. Such initiatives are crucial to overcoming current
problems and ensuring stable energy supplies in the long term. This was the
opinion reached by participants in the session ‘Infrastructure Constraints: A
Limiting Factor in the Development of Megacities’ at Russian Energy Week 2024.
KEY CONCLUSIONS
Parameters for further territorial planning
need to be found taking into account the role of agglomerations
“On the one
hand, regional competition is a good thing, but, on the other hand, it’s not
such a good thing. This big investment pie is starting to be stretched in a way
that is not always rational. Today, we would like to find the main parameters
of how we should deal with further planning taking into account the role of
agglomerations and the greater division into territories for industrial
development and territories for daily living activities in territorial
planning. Territories for daily living activities are precisely the
agglomerations that will provide us with this explosive growth,” Evgeny
Grabchak, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation.
Using existing reserves to build new residential
areas helps avoid unjustified costs on new substations and networks, which
reduces project costs and saves people money
“Well-insulated
energy-efficient homes with new grids consume much less energy according to the
standards established by designers. I’m not talking about everything: I’m
talking specifically about the construction of new housing in new areas with
new grids, new boiler houses, new substations, and new electrical networks.
There are serious reserves there that I think would be foolish not to use,
because it’s money that is simply frozen or thrown away and is applied to costs
or construction in one way or another, and everyone pays for it. That’s why we
are proposing that grid companies should have the opportunity to show their reserves
and not build new substations as required by the old calculations and old
standards, but to use them to build new districts, both for heat and for
electricity,” Vladimir Koshelev, First Deputy Chairman of the
Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
for Construction, Housing and Communal Services.
PROBLEMS
Overloaded electrical networks in certain
regions as consumers transition to electric heating, particularly in individual
housing construction and at gardening associations
“When
people build homes for themselves, including even multi-apartment buildings, in
some individual cases, they start trying to install an electric boiler there
and provide heat using electric boilers. However, the requirements for heat
supply are probably completely different today than the requirements for
electricity supply. So, when they switch to electric heating, they completely burn
out the electrical network,” Dmitry Gvozdev, First Deputy General Director – Chief Engineer, Rosseti
Moscow Region.
Electricity supply is not always the most
advantageous heating option
“With
electricity supply, it’s not always entirely advantageous to switch to electric
heating due to constantly increasing tariffs. The time required to connect to
the heat supply system is constantly decreasing,” Alexander Fedyakov, Director
of the Department for Development of Housing and Communal Services, Ministry of
Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation.
SOLUTIONS
Update heat supply schematics and maximize the
use of the centralized heat supply system
“The heat
supply schematics need to be updated annually, and these schematics contain
conceptual design materials to justify the efficient and safe operation of the
corresponding system. When developing the corresponding scenario, local
governments should also focus on maximizing the use of the centralized heat
supply system,” Alexander Fedyakov, Director of the Department for
Development of Housing and Communal Services, Ministry of Construction and
Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation.
Develop the energy system not only in large
cities
“This
system of urbanization is underway throughout the world as a whole, including
in our country. And for some reason the improvements to the quality of people’s
lives and the population throughout the world appears to be equated specifically
with life in cities. From the standpoint of our country, this is a little incorrect.
It should be the other way around,” Alexey Molsky, Member of the
Board, Deputy Director General for Investment and Capital Construction,
Rosseti.
Change the approaches used to forecast demand
for energy resources
“The
external environment and conditions are changing. This is precisely what should
motivate us to change our approaches, and to your question, we need to update
the regulatory framework. That’s always necessary. Updating it means moving
forward,” Evgeny Grabchak, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation.
* This
is a translation of material that was originally generated in Russian using
artificial intelligence.
For more
information, visit the Roscongress Foundation’s Information and Analytical
System at roscongress.org.
