Energy Saving-2017: Californian worms, windmills and the first in the ranking
Tatarstan, according to Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Anton Inyutsyn, is the leader among Russian regions on energy efficiency. The federal official for the second year in a row has become a participant of the session of RT government. Before the meeting, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation together with Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Governor of Samarqand Region of Uzbekistan Khimmat Okbutaev, representatives of federal and regional authorities and business leaders examined the 18th international specialized exhibition ''Energy. Resource Saving''. Read more in the article of Realnoe Vremya.
''Smart grids'' will not be left without light
At the opening ceremony of the exhibition ''Energy. Resource Saving'', Tatarstan President noted that Tatarstan has held this event for the 18th year in a row, and it's the perfect platform for getting acquainted with the latest solutions.
The most innovative projects were immediately pointed out. The first-degree diploma of the contest ''Energy efficient equipment and technologies'' was awarded to Nizhnekamskneftekhim in the nomination ''New products'' for the modernization of the production of isoprene. Kazanorgsintez was awarded the diploma of the first degree for the project of modernization of a flare unit. After that Rustam Minnikhanov and the impressive support team consisting of officials and businessmen get acquainted with the exposition. Director General of the company, Rauzil Khaziev, was already waiting for them at the stand of Tatenergo. He reported on the results of 2016 and new projects. Through the new technology of the use of combined-cycle plants used at the Kazan CHP-2, Tatenergo will be able to reduce electricity consumption at the amount of 1.5 billion kW/h. ''This volume is comparable with the level of consumption of KAMAZ, Kazanorgsintez and Nizhnekamskshina,'' said Director General of Tatenergo.
Also, Director General of the company spoke about the transition program to the individual heating plant in Kazan. As a result of the refusal from the central heating plants and the transition of consumers to the automated individual heating plants, heating energy saving will amount up to 20%, water consumption will reduce by 27%, annual heat losses in the quarterly grids will reduce by 23%.
At the stand of Tatneft, there were presented the results of the implementation of the resource saving program until 2020. Within the scope of this program, the energy efficiency program has been implemented since 2000. In 2016 alone due to its implementation the company saved 35.2% of heating resources, or 380.000 tonnes of fuel equivalent. It is despite the fact that Tatneft continues to increase oil production. Anton Inyutsyn was particularly interested in technology for additional oil production using innovative methods.
Grid Company presented the developments that have been actively implemented in the company in recent years. For example, the technology Smart grid – the own concept of creation of systems of self-healing grid 10(6) kV. The modernization implies the provision equipment with its own ''intelligence''. The new technical solution will not leave residents without light: in the case of blackouts and a damage of power lines, necessary switches will be made promptly without human intervention. At the same time, all information about the state of the electrical equipment will be transferred to the dispatch center, whose members will be able to manage the electric grid. Pilot projects on the introduction of elements of smart grids are being implemented in three branches of Grid Company JSC – in Kazan, Naberezhnye Chelny and Nizhnekamsk.
Petrochemical saving
Nizhnekamskneftekhim has introduced its own energy management system. The results of the energy saving program of Nizhnekamskneftekhim for 2013-2016 were reported to the president. During this period, 1.241 events were held, the economic effect amounted to 4.5 billion rubles. The consumption of heat, electricity and gas has declined significantly. As a result of the modernization of production of isoprene, the company has reduced fuel consumption almost twofold.
Director General of Kazanorgsintez Farid Minigulov told about the project of modernization of a flare plant. The modernization has allowed optimisation of the performance of the flare plant f-2055 — to improve incineration process of starting, emergency and technological flare gases by replacing the energy carrier ''steam'' with the energy carrier ''air''. The modernization of the flare unit has also improved the environment by reducing the negative impact of incomplete combustion to the environment. The annual economic effect of the implementation of the project is 21.55 million rubles due to the termination of steam consumption and the use of air to ensure smokeless incineration of flare emissions. The upgrade costs amounted to 31.025 million rubles, payback period — 1.5 years. Kazanorgsintez plans to modernize the rest of the flare plants, they are seven in total, including the upgraded one.
Worms are not only for fishing
The Kazan State Power Engineering University amazed Rustam Minnikhanov. Instead of miniatures of plants or stands with the results of energy achievements, in the aquarium there were fish and in the tank there were Californian worms.
''Is it possible to use them for fishing?'' smiled the President.
''It is, but it is better to use them to increase fertility of soil: they recycle waste and produce vermicompost,'' replied department chair of Water biological resources and aquaculture Marina Kalaida.
''Tatarstan has potential in energy saving''
The session of RT government, where the president went after visiting the exhibition, was dedicated to the implementation of the state program ''Energy saving and raising energy efficiency in RT in 2014-2020''.
The summary report was made by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Albert Karimov. He reminded that the state policy in the field of energy saving is the basis of competitiveness of the economy of the Republic. Energy intensity of GRP in 2016 compared to the 2007 (this year is the starting point for the evaluation of energy efficient measures) declined by 24%, and there is more to come. By 2020, it is necessary to reduce this figure by another 16%. Tatarstan, according to Albert Karimov, is among the leaders in the energy efficiency rating of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, which is created by the Ministry of Energy, and the reduction of energy intensity of GRP is one of the main indicators.
In the energy sector, large investment projects are being realised that are aimed at improving the efficiency of petrochemical plants and consumers of Nizhnekamsk, Yelabuga and Tukay regions. Through such activities, the share of electricity losses in grids was 7.11, while the norm is 7.88%.
The largest energy consumer in the region (up to 90%) is the industry. By the end of 2016, the indicator of energy intensity reduced by nearly 2% in almost all sectors. Albert Karimov highlighted Kazanorgsintez, Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Kvart, Betar, ELAZ, Elecon, KOMZ as the most efficient in energy saving.
Extrabudgetary sources
But if to compare with global indicators, Tatarstan maintains high energy intensity of the economy, so the region has potential in energy saving, RT Vice Prime Minister decided not to rest on the laurels. Then he pointed out where to find this potential. The level of energy efficiency in the public sector is measured by quarterly monitorings. By the results in 2016, the budgetary institutions succeeded in reducing water consumption, but increased consumption of heating energy, gas and electricity. Thus, the rate of reduction of energy consumption slowed down, stated the Minister of Industry and Trade of RT.
In his opinion, the effectiveness limits of simple solutions in the form of counters amid the reduction of subsidies and co-financing projects in the field of energy saving in the public sector have been reached. ''In the current economic conditions, our task is to use additional mechanisms to support energy saving, such as mechanisms of energy service contracts to attract extra-budgetary funding,'' outlined the task Albert Karimov. He also pointed out the problem: ''We need to convince investors that the funds to be earned by energy saving will be directed for payment on energy service contracts. We cannot give such confidence to our investors so far.''
''Green technology'' and wind turbines
The minister also proposes to seek other technologies of energy saving in the alternative energy and in the use of gas motor fuel. Tatarstan has adopted the state program on the use of cheaper fuel — natural gas. Nineteen CNG stations have already been created, by this indicator Tatarstan takes the first place in Russia. However, the promotion of this market requires support measures at the state level. Albert Karimov attributed to such solutions the advantage in the selection for execution of the state order or municipal contract for passenger transportation or reimbursement for travel costs to those who use compressed natural gas as motor fuel.
As for ''green technologies'', over the last five years, the amount of introduced capacities worldwide through the construction of wind turbines has exceeded the installed capacity of the entire power system of Russia. In Russia, the total amount of power of the wind energy stations barely exceeds 10 mW, but the world's capacity is 487 GW. Now Tatarstan has begun to calculate the project of a wind park with a capacity of approximately 100 mW.
''On the one hand, our lagging behind the European countries is bad, on the other – it is a large reserve that we need to see,'' outlined his position Prime Minister of Tatarstan Ildar Khalikov.
Tatarstan as the top performer
Deputy Energy Minister did not spoke about the shortcomings of the Republic in terms of energy savings. On the contrary, he reported that in 2017 in Russia there completed the transition of responsibility from the single authorized body to sectoral departments, and Tatarstan is the leader in the monitoring and responsibility of sectoral ministries for the work in the field of energy saving and energy efficiency.
Anton Inyutsyn in his speech several times called the republic the leader in energy and resource saving and he proved his point of view with facts: ''In every state programs there should high energy efficiency indicators. Tatarstan has reached 100% efficiency, and our goal is to bring this figure to 100% across the country.'' The federal official thanked Ildar Khalikov for his great attention to the rating of the regions on energy saving drafted by the Energy Ministry. ''We had no ranking of the regions a year ago. We presented the first rating at ENES. Tatarstan took the second place among all Russian regions with minimal gap from the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Given the fact that the economies of the regions are completely different by their structure, we can clearly say that Tatarstan takes the first place.''
Deputy Energy Minister of Russia reminded that over the last five years in Russia due to the measures taken to improve energy efficiency we saved about 300 million tonnes of fuel equivalent. What is more, it is possible to save the same amount in the next 3 years.
In order to reach the goal, the conditions for attracting investments in the energy sector are being created in the country. The Ministry of Energy expects expansion in the adoption of the regional energy-efficiency requirements to buildings, structures and apartment houses, and expects that up to 50% of the regions by the end of the year will introduce such requirements.
Anton Inyutsyn called the republic ''the top performer'' and he was delighted by the project of implementation of the individual heating unit in Kazan. ''There has been presented the large-scale project — by the end of the year to fully transfer Kazan to the individual heating unit. This is a huge effect. We have no region where the whole city of such scale would be transferred to the individual heating unit. For us, such example is very important nationwide''. The official reported that on 7 March the Prime Minister signed a decree on the mandatory installation of the individual heating unit in all new buildings from 1 July 2017. While apartment buildings are out of this document. But the Ministry of Energy expects that they eventually will join.''
