Today, the issues of human influence on the environment and climate have reached the top of global trends. Countries are switching to eco-friendly methods of production and energy generation, “green” products receive various preferences. Kazakhstan is also planning to switch to “green” rails. Russia is ready to help him in this, which is also actively developing “green energy”. In particular, it is a recognized leader in the nuclear industry, and even the European Union has recognized clean energy generated at nuclear power plants. What kind of support Moscow can provide to Astana, in an interview for “Eurasia.Expert” was evaluated by the expert of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, a leading analyst of the National Energy Security Fund Igor Yushkov.
– Igor Valerievich, according to the calculations of EDB specialists, the highest carbon dioxide emissions in the EAEU were recorded in Kazakhstan – 14.4 tons per person. There are other environmental issues that actualize the development of “green energy”. What projects in this direction can Russia and Kazakhstan develop?
– If we talk about the environmental aspect, it is important to reduce emissions of pollutants into the environment. But if we are talking about climate, then it is necessary to take into account the emerging greenhouse gases. And in this regard, gas energy is questionable here, because climatologists, for example, believe that methane is an aggressive greenhouse gas, and you need to think ten times before switching to gas generation.
If we are talking about reducing the impact on the environment, then, of course, it is necessary to remove coal generation, or modernize it, reducing its emissions into the environment. Because coal plants are not the same in themselves, among them there are those that, in general, make few emissions. Naturally, if Kazakhstan takes into account climatic factors, then it will be necessary to focus on nuclear energy. Even the European Union has recognized the gas and nuclear industries as energy sectors that contribute to the energy transition. They should still be abandoned, but at the last moment.
– In Kazakhstan, 60% of electricity is generated at coal-fired power plants. To combat energy shortages, Russia offers the republic to significantly expand cooperation in gas and nuclear energy. What impact can this have on Kazakhstan’s energy security?
– If Kazakhstan builds a nuclear power plant and, for example, receives an excess of electricity, they will be able to make hydrogen from it by water electrolysis and sell it, for example, to Europe. But the construction of a nuclear power plant requires a much larger investment at the moment, that is, it is simply more expensive here and now. And in the future, from the point of view of generating current electricity, the cost is small.
– How can a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan affect the amount of carbon dioxide emissions?
– Everything is learned in comparison. If we compare the nuclear and gas industries, the latter looks weaker in terms of the arguments of climate rhetoric. It obviously has more greenhouse gas emissions, because there, according to the international methodology, greenhouse gas emissions from the field itself, emissions from gas pipelines, gas liquefaction plants and the power plant itself are calculated. Greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power plants are obviously less.
– The possibility of building a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan under a Russian project is being actively discussed. What benefits will this bring to Kazakhstan, how will its energy balance change?
– If they agree with Rosatom on its standard offer, then, of course, it is profitable. Rosatom comes with a full range of services, with a Russian loan, and with this loan it builds a nuclear power plant itself, puts it into operation. Then it returns the invested investments from the tariff, as it were. Whether Kazakhstan will work with Rosatom in this scheme is a difficult question.
Maybe Kazakhstan expects that if new gas production projects are implemented at home in the future, it will be able to return to its own gas, and this may be cheaper. Therefore, in the near future, there is likely to be the development of Russian-Kazakh relations in the gas sector.
They can be developed very quickly, because virtually all gas pipelines already exist, and Russia has a resource base. It is only necessary to sign a commercial contract and deliveries to the north and northeast of Kazakhstan will begin in order to additionally supply settlements with raw materials. As for those regions of the country that already need gas, because there is a shortage of gas in Kazakhstan, their needs can be covered by current supplies from Russia.
A source: https://e-cis.info/news/566/109142/
