Vadim V. Alexeev and Tatiana M. Krasovskaya
Department of Geography, Moscow State University
117234 Moscow Vorobyovy Gory
RUSSIA
Translated by Barbara Welling Hall
The thermo-electric station represents the primary energy source in Russia, accounting for 73.4% of the output of heat and electricity. Hydroelectric and nuclear plants constitute, respectively, 15.6% and 11% of the total output. Although at the present time 62% of thermo-electric stations operate on natural gas, their contribution to the total output of atmospheric pollutants from stationary sources amounts to 20%. The flooding of fertile land is, as a rule, connected with hydroelectric stations. Nuclear power plants, the majority of which have already operated for more than 20 years with a 30 year technical base, represent a constant ecological threat. The pollution of the environment, in connection with energy use, has an unfavorable effect on the health of the population: respiratory diseases may increase by 50% in regions influenced by energy installations, the number of instances of pregnancy complications up 3 percent, etc.
In reducing the destructive role of energy in relation to environment, a leading role belongs to alternative energy sources, the most likely of which for Russia are: solar energy, wind, biomass (including forest energy), wave, and the geothermal and heat energy of the ocean. The energy return of plants using alternative energy sources is fully comparable to those using traditional types of fuel: for a thermo-electric station operating on coal - 5, nuclear power plant - 2-4, solar thermodynamic station - 5.5, photovoltaic - 4, bioconversion station - 2.1, wind and wave - 6-7, etc. The energy return of the hydroelectric station achieves 20, however the construction of small hydroelectric station is ecologically expedient.
The environmental influence of plants using alternative sources of energy is minimal and may be practically eliminated by the use of hybrid systems which make them the most reliable for obtaining energy.
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