Prospects for the creation of new AC equipment complexes. AT 3

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The presentation is additional material to lessons on energy development. The energy of any country is the basis for the development of productive forces, the creation of material - technical base society. The presentation reflects the problems and prospects of all types of energy, promising (new) types of energy, uses the experience of museum pedagogy, independent research work of students (work with the magazine “Japan Today”), and creative works of students (posters). The presentation can be used in geography lessons in grades 9 and 10, in extracurricular activities (elective classes, elective courses), during Geography Week “April 22 – Earth Day”, in ecology and biology lessons “Global problems of humanity. Raw materials and energy problem."

In my work, I used the method of problem-based learning, which consisted of creating problem situations for students and resolving them in the process of joint activity between students and the teacher. At the same time, maximum independence of students was taken into account and under the general guidance of a teacher directing the activities of students.

Problem-based learning allows not only to form in students the necessary system of knowledge, skills and abilities, to achieve a high level of development of schoolchildren, but, most importantly, it allows the formation of a special style of mental activity, research activity and independence of students. When working with this presentation, students become aware of a current direction - the research activities of schoolchildren.

The industry unites a group of industries engaged in the extraction and transportation of fuel, generation of energy and transmission of it to the consumer.

Natural resources that are used to produce energy are fuel resources, hydro resources, nuclear energy, as well as alternative types of energy. The location of most industries depends on the development of electricity. Our country has huge reserves of fuel and energy resources. Russia was, is and will be one of the leading energy powers in the world. And this is not only because the country’s depths contain 12% of the world’s coal reserves, 13% of the world’s oil and 36% of the world’s natural gas reserves, which are sufficient to fully meet its own needs and for export to neighboring countries. Russia has become one of the world's leading energy powers, primarily due to the creation of a unique production, scientific, technical and personnel potential of the fuel and energy complex.

Raw material problem

Mineral resources– the primary source, the initial basis of human civilization in almost all phases of its development:

– Fuel minerals;
– Ore minerals;
– Non-metallic minerals.

Modern rates of energy consumption are growing exponentially. Even if we take into account that the growth rate of electricity consumption will decrease somewhat due to the improvement of energy-saving technologies, the reserves of electrical raw materials will last for a maximum of 100 years. However, the situation is further aggravated by the discrepancy between the structure of reserves and consumption of organic raw materials. Thus, 80% of fossil fuel reserves come from coal and only 20% from oil and gas, while 8/10 of modern energy consumption comes from oil and gas.

Consequently, the time frame is further narrowed. However, only today humanity is getting rid of ideological ideas that they are practically endless. Mineral resources are limited and virtually irreplaceable.

Energy problem.

Today, the world's energy sector is based on energy sources:

– Combustible mineral resources;
– Combustible organic fossils;
– River energy. Non-traditional types of energy;
– Energy of the atom.

At the current rate of increase in the price of the Earth's fuel resources, the problem of using renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent and characterizes the energy and economic independence of the state.

Advantages and disadvantages of thermal power plants.

Advantages of TPP:

1. The cost of electricity at hydroelectric power plants is very low;
2. Hydroelectric power station generators can be turned on and off quite quickly depending on energy consumption;
3. No air pollution.

Disadvantages of TPP:

1. Construction of hydroelectric power stations can be longer and more expensive than other energy sources;
2. Reservoirs can occupy large areas;
3. Dams can harm fisheries by blocking access to spawning grounds.

Advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric power stations.

Advantages of hydroelectric power stations:
– They are built quickly and cheaply;
– Operate in constant mode;
– Located almost everywhere;
– The predominance of thermal power plants in the energy sector of the Russian Federation.

Disadvantages of hydroelectric power plants:

– Consume a large amount of fuel;
– Requires a long stop during repairs;
– A lot of heat is lost in the atmosphere, a lot of solid and harmful gases are released into the atmosphere;
– Largest environmental polluters.

In the structure of electricity generation in the world, the first place belongs to thermal power plants (TPPs) - their share is 62%.
An alternative to fossil fuels and a renewable source of energy is hydropower. Hydroelectric power station (HPP)- a power plant that uses the energy of water flow as an energy source. Hydroelectric power plants are usually built on rivers by constructing dams and reservoirs. Hydropower is the production of electricity through the use of renewable river, tidal, and geothermal water resources. This use of renewable water resources involves managing floods, strengthening river beds, transferring water resources to areas suffering from drought, and preserving groundwater flows.
However, here too the energy source is quite limited. This is due to the fact that large rivers, as a rule, are very far from industrial centers or their capacity is almost completely used. Thus, hydropower, which currently provides about 10% of the world's energy production, will not be able to significantly increase this figure.

Problems and prospects of nuclear power plants

In Russia, the share of nuclear energy reaches 12%. The reserves of mined uranium available in Russia have an electrical potential of 15 trillion. kWh, this is as much as all our power plants can produce in 35 years. Today only nuclear energy
is capable of dramatically and in a short period of time weakening the greenhouse effect. A pressing issue is the safety of nuclear power plants. The year 2000 marked the beginning of the transition to fundamentally new approaches to regulation and ensuring radiation safety of nuclear power plants.
Over the 40 years of development of nuclear energy in the world, about 400 power units have been built in 26 countries. The main advantages of nuclear energy are high final profitability and the absence of emissions of combustion products into the atmosphere; the main disadvantages are the potential danger of radioactive contamination of the environment with fission products of nuclear fuel in an accident and the problem of reprocessing used nuclear fuel.

Non-traditional (alternative energy)

1. Solar energy. This is the use solar radiation to obtain energy in any form. Solar energy uses a renewable energy source and has the potential to become environmentally friendly in the future.

Advantages solar energy:

– Public availability and inexhaustibility of the source;
– Theoretically, completely safe for the environment.

Disadvantages of solar energy:

– The flow of solar energy on the Earth’s surface is highly dependent on latitude and climate;
– The solar power plant does not work at night and does not work efficiently enough in the morning and evening twilight;
Photovoltaic cells contain toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, gallium, arsenic, etc., and their production consumes a lot of other hazardous substances.

2. Wind energy. This is a branch of energy specializing in the use of wind energy - the kinetic energy of air masses in the atmosphere. Since wind energy is a consequence of the activity of the sun, it is classified as a renewable form of energy.

Prospects for wind energy.

Wind energy is a rapidly growing industry, and at the end of 2007 the total installed capacity of all wind turbines was 94.1 gigawatts, having increased fivefold since 2000. Wind farms worldwide produced about 200 billion kWh in 2007, representing approximately 1.3% of global electricity consumption. Coastal wind farm Middelgrunden, near Copenhagen, Denmark. At the time of construction it was the largest in the world.

Opportunities for implementing wind energy in Russia. In Russia, the potential of wind energy remains practically unrealized to this day. A conservative attitude towards the long-term development of the fuel and energy complex practically hinders the effective implementation of wind energy, especially in the Northern regions of Russia, as well as in the steppe zone of the Southern Federal District, and in particular in the Volgograd region.

3. Thermonuclear energy. The sun is a natural thermonuclear reactor. An even more interesting, although relatively distant, prospect is the use of nuclear fusion energy. Fusion reactors, according to calculations, will consume less fuel per unit of energy, and both this fuel itself (deuterium, lithium, helium-3) and the products of their synthesis are non-radioactive and, therefore, environmentally safe.

Prospects for thermonuclear energy. This area of ​​energy has enormous potential; currently, within the framework of the ITER project, in which Europe, China, Russia, the USA, South Korea and Japan participate, the largest thermonuclear reactor is being built in France, the goal of which is to develop CTS (Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion) to a new level. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

4. Biofuel, biogas. Biofuel is fuel from biological raw materials, usually obtained by processing sugar cane stalks or rapeseed seeds, corn, and soybeans. There are liquid biofuels (for internal combustion engines, for example, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel) and gaseous (biogas, hydrogen).

Types of biofuel:

– Biomethanol
– Bioethanol
– Biobutanol
– Dimethyl ether
– Biodiesel
– Biogas
– Hydrogen

At the moment, the most developed are biodiesel and hydrogen.

5. Geothermal energy. Hidden beneath Japan's volcanic islands are vast amounts of geothermal energy, which can be harnessed by extracting hot water and steam. Advantage: emits approximately 20 times less carbon dioxide in the production of electricity, which reduces its impact on the global environment.

6. Energy of waves, ebbs and flows. In Japan, the most important source of energy is wave turbines, which convert the vertical movement of ocean waves into air pressure that rotates the turbines of electric generators. There are a large number of buoys installed on the coast of Japan that use the energy of tides. This is how ocean energy is used to ensure the safety of ocean transport.

The enormous potential of solar energy could theoretically provide all the world's energy needs. But the efficiency of converting heat into electricity is only 10%. This limits the possibilities of solar energy. Fundamental difficulties also arise when analyzing the possibilities of creating high-power generators using wind energy, tides, geothermal energy, biogas, vegetable fuel, etc. All this leads to the conclusion that the capabilities of the considered so-called “renewable” and relatively environmentally friendly energy resources are limited, at least in the relatively near future. Although the effect of their use in solving certain particular problems of energy supply can already be very impressive.

Of course, there is optimism about the possibilities of thermonuclear energy and other effective methods of generating energy, which are being intensively studied by science, but at the modern scale of energy production. The practical development of these possible sources will require several decades due to the high capital intensity and corresponding inertia in the implementation of projects.

Research works of students:

1. Special report “Green Energy” for the future: “Japan is the world leader in the production of solar electricity. 90% of Japan's solar energy comes from solar panels in ordinary houses. The Japanese government has set a goal in 2010 to obtain approximately 4.8 million kW of energy from solar panels. Electricity production from biomass in Japan. Methane gas is released from kitchen waste. This gas powers an engine that generates electricity, and also creates favorable conditions to protect the environment.

Development of world energy at the beginning of the 21st century. will be determined by the complex influence of many economic, natural, scientific, technical and political factors. An assessment of long-term growth in energy consumption, based on the expected pace of global energy development, leads to the conclusion that the average annual increase until 2030-2050. will probably be 2-3%. It will be significantly larger. Given the projected population growth to 8.5 billion people by 2025, of which 80% will live in developing countries, we can expect that these countries will play a decisive role in global energy consumption. This will cause a sharp increase in its production. An increase in electricity production will entail severe pollution of the natural environment. The role in energy supply will increase in the future, given the extensive reserves of this raw material, as well as the environmental friendliness of this type of fuel.

The transition from oil to gas is the third energy revolution (the first is the transition from wood to coal, the second is from coal to oil). Oil has now become the leading resource in the world's energy balance. Oil prices will determine the pace of restructuring of the global energy balance. It is believed that global consumption will increase to almost 8 billion tons by 2030, since it is very expensive to convert all coal thermal power plants to oil or gas.

At the International Conference on the Use of Energy Resources (1989) it was achieved effective solution problem, which has increased the number of supporters of its development in many.

On the contrary, (the province of Ontario) has declared a moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe are of serious concern, although the nuclear power plants operating in Slovakia are among the best in the world in terms of their performance. The problems of waste-free use of natural uranium as disposable fuel, as well as the processing and destruction of radioactive waste are being solved.

Many countries have different attitudes towards the use of hydropower resources. Only China plans large hydroelectric power plants. By 2000, 60 large hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 70 GW are being designed on Chinese rivers.

The most promising direction in energy production involves the use of solar energy (photovoltaic conversion) and the ocean temperature gradient to generate electricity, wind energy, geothermal energy, energy rocks and , energy, fuel cells, wood processing in liquid fuel, processing of urban waste, the use of biogas obtained from processing industrial and agricultural waste. Developed countries are leading in the development of these technologies, primarily Japan, Canada, and Denmark. In addition, there are developments on how to increase the use of hydro resources, construct small power plants at water treatment plants, irrigation canals, using new design Hydroelectric power station with low water pressure.

The main problems in the development of the Russian electric power industry are related to: technical backwardness and deterioration of industry funds, imperfection of the economic mechanism for managing the energy sector, including pricing and investment policies, and the growth of non-payments by energy consumers. In conditions of economic crisis, high energy intensity of production remains high.

Currently, more than 18% of power plants have completely exhausted their design resource of installed capacity. The process of energy saving is progressing very slowly. The government is trying to solve the problem from different sides: at the same time, the industry is being corporatized (51% of the shares remain with the state), foreign investment is being attracted, and a program has begun to be implemented to reduce the energy intensity of production.

The following can be identified as the main tasks for the development of Russian energy: 1) reducing the energy intensity of production; 2) preservation of the unified energy system of Russia; 3) increasing the power factor of the power system; 4) full transition to market relations, liberation of energy prices, complete transition to world prices, possible abandonment of clearing; 5) speedy renewal of the energy system fleet; 6) bringing the environmental parameters of the energy system to the level of world standards.

The industry is currently facing a number of challenges. Important is ecological problem. At this stage, in Russia the emission of harmful substances into the environment per unit of production exceeds the same figure in the West by 6-10 times.

The extensive development of production and the accelerated build-up of huge capacities have led to the fact that the environmental factor for a long time was taken into account very little or not at all. Coal thermal power plants are the least environmentally friendly; near them the radioactive level is several times higher than the radiation level in the immediate vicinity of the nuclear power plant. The use of gas in thermal power plants is much more efficient than fuel oil or coal; When burning 1 ton of standard fuel, 1.7 tons of carbon are generated versus 2.7 tons when burning fuel oil or coal. The environmental parameters established earlier do not ensure complete environmental cleanliness; most power plants were built in accordance with them.

New standards of environmental cleanliness have been submitted to a special state program“Environmentally friendly energy.” Taking into account the requirements of this program, several projects have already been prepared and dozens are under development. Thus, there is a project for Berezovskaya GRES-2 with 800 MW units and bag filters for collecting dust, a project for thermal power plants with combined cycle gas plants with a capacity of 300 MW, and a project for Rostovskaya GRES, which includes many fundamentally new technical solutions. Let us separately consider the problems of nuclear energy development.

The nuclear industry and energy are considered in the Energy Strategy (2005-2020) as the most important part of the country's energy sector, since nuclear energy has the potential to necessary qualities for the gradual replacement of a significant part of traditional energy with fossil organic fuel, and also has a developed production and construction base and sufficient capacity for the production of nuclear fuel. In this case, the main attention is paid to ensuring nuclear safety and, above all, the safety of nuclear power plants during their operation. In addition, it is necessary to take measures to ensure that the public is interested in the development of the industry, especially the population living near the nuclear power plant.

To ensure the planned pace of development of nuclear energy after 2020, the preservation and development of export potential, it is now necessary to strengthen geological exploration work aimed at preparing a reserve raw material base of natural uranium.

The maximum option for increasing electricity production at nuclear power plants meets both the requirements of favorable economic development and the predicted economically optimal structure of electricity production, taking into account the geography of its consumption. At the same time, the economically priority zone for locating nuclear power plants is the European and Far Eastern regions of the country, as well as the northern regions with long-distance fuel imports. Lower levels of energy production at nuclear power plants may arise due to public objections to the specified scale of development of nuclear power plants, which will require a corresponding increase in coal production and the capacity of coal-fired power plants, including in regions where nuclear power plants have economic priority.

Main tasks for the maximum option: construction of new nuclear power plants to increase the installed capacity nuclear power plants up to 32 GW in 2010 and up to 52.6 GW in 2020; extending the designated service life of existing power units to 40-50 years of operation in order to maximize the release of gas and oil; cost savings through the use of design and operational reserves.

In this option, in particular, it is planned to complete the construction of 5 GW of nuclear power units in 2000-2010 (two units at the Rostov NPP and one each at the Kalinin, Kursk and Balakovo stations) and new construction of 5.8 GW of nuclear power units (one unit each at Novovoronezh, Beloyarsk, Kalinin, Balakovo, Bashkir and Kursk nuclear power plants). In 2011 - 2020 it is planned to build four units at the Leningrad NPP, four units at the North Caucasus NPP, three units at the Bashkir NPP, two units each at the South Ural, Far Eastern, Primorskaya, Kursk NPP-2 and Smolensk NPP-2, at the Arkhangelsk and Khabarovsk ATPPs and at one unit at Novovoronezh, Smolensk and Kola NPPs - 2.

At the same time in 2010 - 2020. It is planned to decommission 12 first-generation power units at the Bilibino, Kola, Kursk, Leningrad and Novovoronezh nuclear power plants.

The main tasks under the minimum option are the construction of new units to increase the NPP capacity to 32 GW in 2010 and to 35 GW in 2020 and extending the designated service life of existing power units by 10 years.

Thermal power plants will remain the basis of the Russian electric power industry for the entire future under consideration. specific gravity which in the structure of the installed capacity of the industry will amount to 68% by 2010, and by 2020 - 67-70% (2000 - 69%). They will ensure the generation of, respectively, 69% and 67-71% of all electricity in the country (2000 - 67%).

Considering the difficult situation in the fuel-extracting industries and the expected high growth in electricity generation at thermal power plants (almost 40-80% by 2020), providing power plants with fuel is becoming one of the most difficult problems in the energy sector in the coming period.

The total demand for Russian power plants for organic fuel will increase from 273 million tons of fuel equivalent. in 2000 to 310-350 million tons of equivalent fuel. in 2010 and up to 320-400 million tons of equivalent fuel. in 2020. The relatively small increase in fuel demand by 2020 compared to electricity generation is associated with the almost complete replacement by this period of existing uneconomical equipment with new highly efficient equipment, which requires the implementation of almost maximum possible inputs of generating capacity. In the high version in the period 2011-2015. To replace old equipment and to ensure an increase in demand, it is proposed to introduce 15 million kW per year in the period 2016-2020. up to 20 million kW per year. Any lag in inputs will lead to a decrease in the efficiency of fuel use and, accordingly, to an increase in its consumption at power plants, compared to the levels defined in the Strategy.

The need to radically change the conditions of fuel supply for thermal power plants in European regions of the country and tighten environmental requirements determines significant changes in the power structure of thermal power plants by type of power plant and type of fuel used in these areas. The main direction should be the technical re-equipment and reconstruction of existing ones, as well as the construction of new thermal power plants. At the same time, priority will be given to combined cycle and environmentally friendly coal power plants, which are competitive in most of Russia and ensure increased efficiency of energy production. The transition from steam turbine to combined cycle thermal power plants running on gas, and later on coal, will ensure a gradual increase in the efficiency of installations to 55%, and in the future up to 60%, which will significantly reduce the increase in the fuel demand of thermal power plants.

For the development of the Unified Energy System of Russia, the Energy Strategy provides for:

• 1) creation of a strong electrical connection between the eastern and European parts of the Unified Energy System of Russia, through the construction of power transmission lines with voltages of 500 and 1150 kV. The role of these connections is especially great in the context of the need to reorient European regions towards the use of coal, making it possible to significantly reduce the import of eastern coal for thermal power plants;
• 2) strengthening intersystem transit connections between the IPS (Unified Energy System) of the Middle Volga - IPS of the Center - IPS of the North Caucasus, which allows to increase the reliability of energy supply to the North Caucasus region, as well as the IPS of the Urals - IPS of the Middle Volga - IPS of the Center and IPS of the Urals - IPS of the North-West to supply excess power to Tyumen State District Power Plant;
• 3) strengthening system-forming connections between the UES of the North-West and the Center;
• 4) development of electrical communication between the Unified Energy System of Siberia and the Unified Energy System of the East, which will allow for parallel operation of all energy networks in the country and guarantee reliable energy supply to scarce areas of the Far East.

Alternative energy. Despite the fact that Russia is still in the sixth ten countries in the world in terms of the degree of use of so-called non-traditional and renewable types of energy, the development of this area has great importance, especially considering the size of the country. Resource potential non-traditional and renewable energy sources amount to about 5 billion tons of equivalent fuel per year, and the economic potential in its most general form reaches at least 270 million tons of equivalent fuel (Fig. 2).

So far, all attempts to use non-traditional and renewable energy sources in Russia are experimental and semi-experimental in nature, or at best, such sources play the role of local, strictly local energy producers. The latter also applies to the use of wind energy. This is because Russia does not yet experience a shortage of traditional energy sources and its reserves of organic fuel and nuclear fuel are still quite large. However, even today in remote or hard-to-reach areas of Russia, where there is no need to build a large power plant, and often there is no one to service it, “non-traditional” sources of electricity are the best solution to the problem.

The planned levels of development and technical re-equipment of industries in the country's energy sector are impossible without a corresponding increase in production in the energy sectors (nuclear, electrical, oil and gas, petrochemical, mining, etc.), mechanical engineering, metallurgy and chemical industry Russia, as well as the construction complex. Their necessary development is the task of all economic policy states.

Introduction

Electric power industry is a complex branch of the economy, which includes the industry for the production of electricity and its transmission to the consumer. Electric power industry is the most important basic industry in Russia. The entire national economy of the country, as well as the level of development of scientific and technological progress in the country, depends on the level of its development.

A specific feature of the electric power industry is that its products cannot be accumulated for later use, so consumption corresponds to electricity production both in size (taking into account losses) and in time.

It is no longer possible to imagine life without electrical energy. Electric power has invaded all spheres of human activity: industry and agriculture, science and space, our everyday life. Its specific property is the ability to transform into almost all other types of energy (fuel, mechanical, sound, light, etc.)

In industry, electricity is used both to drive various mechanisms and directly to technological processes. Job modern means communication is based on the use of electricity.

Electricity in the home is a major part of ensuring a comfortable life for people.

Electricity plays a huge role in the transport industry. Electric transport does not pollute the environment.

1. The importance of the electric power industry in the economy of the Russian Federation

Stable economic development is impossible without constantly developing energy. Electric power is the basis for the functioning of the economy and life support. Reliable and efficient operation of the electric power industry, uninterrupted supply to consumers is the basis for the progressive development of the country’s economy and an integral factor in ensuring civilized living conditions for all its citizens. Electric power is an element of the fuel and energy complex. The Russian fuel and energy complex is a powerful economic and production system. It has a decisive influence on the state and prospects of development national economy, providing 1/5 of the gross domestic product, 1/3 of the volume of industrial production and revenues of the consolidated budget of Russia, approximately half of the federal budget revenues, exports and foreign exchange earnings.

In the development of energy, great importance is attached to the issues of proper placement of the electric power sector. The most important condition rational placement of power plants is a comprehensive accounting of the electricity needs of all industries National economy country and the needs of the population, as well as each economic region for the future.

One of the principles of placing electric power on modern stage development of a market economy is the construction of predominantly small thermal power plants, the introduction of new types of fuel, and the development of a long-distance high-voltage power transmission network.

A significant feature of the development and location of the electric power industry is the widespread construction of combined heat and power plants (CHPs) for district heating in various industries and utilities. CHP plants are located at points of steam consumption or hot water, since heat transfer through pipelines is economically feasible only over a short distance.

An important direction in the development of the electric power industry is the construction of hydroelectric power stations. Peculiarity modern development electric power industry – construction of electric power systems, their integration and creation of the Unified Energy System (UES) of the country.

2. Characteristics of the largest thermal and nuclear power plants

Thermal power plants (TPP). There are about 700 large and medium-sized thermal power plants in Russia. They produce up to 70% of electricity. Thermal power plants use organic fuel - coal, oil, gas, fuel oil, shale, peat. Thermal power plants are consumer-oriented and at the same time located at sources of fuel resources. Power plants that use high-calorie fuel, which is economically profitable to transport, are consumer-oriented. Power plants running on fuel oil are located mainly in the centers of the oil refining industry. Large thermal power plants are Berezovskaya GRES-1 and GRES-2, operating on coal from the Kansk-Achinsk basin, Surgutskaya GRES-1 and GRES-2, Urengoyskaya GRES - on gas.

Advantages of thermal power plants: relatively free placement associated with the wide distribution of fuel resources in Russia; the ability to generate electricity without seasonal fluctuations (unlike hydroelectric power plants). Disadvantages include: use of non-renewable fuel resources; low efficiency; extremely unfavorable impact on the environment (thermal power plants around the world emit 200–250 million tons of ash and about 60 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere annually; in addition, they absorb huge amounts of oxygen).

Nuclear power plants (NPP). Nuclear power plants use transportable fuel. NPPs are aimed at consumers located in areas with a tense fuel and energy balance or in places where identified mineral fuel resources are limited. In addition, nuclear power industry is an extremely knowledge-intensive industry.

The share of nuclear power plants in the total electricity generation in Russia is still 12%, in the USA - 20%, Great Britain - 18.9%, Germany - 34%, Belgium - 65%, France - over 76%.

Currently, there are nine nuclear power plants in Russia with a total capacity of 20.2 million kW: in the North-Western region - Leningrad NPP, in the Central Chernobyl Region - Kursk and Novovoronezh NPPs, in the Central Economic Region - Smolensk and Kalinin NPPs, in the Volga region - Balakovo NPP, in the North - Kola NPP, in the Urals - Beloyarsk NPP, Far East – Bilibino NPP.

Advantages of nuclear power plants: they can be built in any area; installed capacity utilization factor is 80%; under normal operating conditions, they cause less harm to the environment than other types of power plants; do not absorb oxygen. Disadvantages of nuclear power plants: difficulties in burying radioactive waste (containers with powerful protection and cooling system; burial is carried out in the ground at great depths in geologically stable layers); catastrophic consequences of accidents at our nuclear power plants due to an imperfect protection system; thermal pollution of water bodies used by nuclear power plants. From an economic point of view, nuclear energy is specific. It is characterized by at least two cardinal features. The first feature is associated with the large role of capital investments, which make the main contribution to the cost of electricity. This implies the need to especially carefully and reasonably take into account the role of capital investments. The second is determined by the specifics of using nuclear fuel, which differs significantly from that inherent in conventional chemical fuel. Unfortunately, there is still no consensus on how these features should be taken into account in economic calculations. Using the example of Russian nuclear energy, we can analyze the above-mentioned features from the point of view modern features electricity production.

Although economic problems nuclear energy were described in detail in the monograph, however, the optimism in forecasts for its development that existed until the mid-80s was determined mainly by ideas about the moderate capital intensity of nuclear power plants, often dictated by political considerations.

It is known that specific capital investments in nuclear power plants are significantly higher than in conventional power plants, especially for nuclear power plants with fast reactors. This is primarily due to the complexity technological scheme Nuclear power plants: 2- and even 3-circuit systems for removing heat from the reactor are used.

A special system of guaranteed emergency cooling is being created.

High demands are placed on design materials (nuclear purity).

The production of equipment and its installation are carried out under particularly strict, carefully controlled conditions (reactor technology).

In addition, the thermal efficiency at nuclear power plants with thermal reactors currently used in Russia is noticeably lower than at conventional thermal stations.

Another important issue is that the fuel rods inside the reactor constantly contain a significant amount of nuclear fuel necessary to create a critical mass. In some publications, for example, according to Batov, Yu.I. Koryakin, 1969, it is proposed to include the cost of the first load of nuclear fuel in capital investments. If we follow this logic, then capital investments should include not only the fuel located in the reactor itself, but also that used in the external fuel cycle. For reactors that use a closed cycle with fuel regeneration, such as fast reactors, the total amount of fuel “frozen” in this way can be 2–3 times, or even more, the critical mass. All this will significantly increase the already significant component of capital investments and, accordingly, worsen the estimated economic indicators of the nuclear power plant.

This approach cannot be considered correct. Indeed, in any production, some elements of equipment are in constant use, while other material means of service are regularly replaced with new ones. However, if this period is not too long, their cost is not included in capital investments. These costs are taken into account as ordinary, current. In the case of fuel rods, this is evidenced by the period of their use, which does not exceed several months.

The issue of the price of nuclear fuel is also important. If we're talking about only about uranium, then its cost is determined by the costs of mining, extraction from ore, isotope enrichment (if necessary).

If the fuel is plutonium, which is used for fast reactors, then general case two modes should be distinguished: closed, when there is enough plutonium to meet the needs of the developing energy industry, and conversion, when it is not enough and 235 U is used along with it. For the case of a conversion cycle, the price of plutonium should be determined by comparison with the known price of 235 U. In any fast The reactor can use both plutonium and uranium fuel. Therefore, when making an economic comparison, the influence of the effect of the type of fuel on the capital component of the cost of electricity can be excluded. It is enough to equate only the direct costs of fuel (fuel components) in both cases. According to experts, the price of plutonium exceeds the price of 235 U by about 30%. For plutonium, this circumstance is important, since the plutonium produced as a by-product brings in a lot of income.

Energy is the basis for providing necessary conditions life activity and development of humanity, the level of its material and economic well-being, as well as the relationship of society with environment. The most convenient and environmentally friendly energy source is electricity. It is the basis for accelerating scientific and technological progress, developing knowledge-intensive industries and informatization of society. Thus, up to 2035, the electrification of the global economy and electricity consumption are expected to increase. To consider the forecast for the electricity industry, we note factors that may cause changes in electricity production and consumption:

· economic growth rates;

· population growth;

· increasing energy efficiency and energy saving;

· aging of qualified personnel in the electric power industry of developed countries;

· increased attention to environmental safety, including policies to reduce CO 2 emissions.

Let's look at the general forecast for electricity production.

We see that the greatest increase in production is expected by 2015 - 18%. Average growth rate from 2008 to 2035 make up 13%.

Let's consider the structure of types of electricity production in the forecast period:

The diagram shows that with an increase in electricity production, the structure of its sources remains practically unchanged. The main share in the structure of electricity production is electricity produced at coal-fired thermal power plants (about 39%). Electricity based on natural gas is consistently in second place: an average of 23%. Changes in the shares of nuclear and hydropower are also not expected; they occupy 14% and 16% in the structure, respectively. In the forecast period, a slight increase in the share of electricity based on renewable energy sources is expected - from 3% to 7%, with the achievement of a 7% share expected by 2020, stable development is planned in the future.

The forecast notes a slight increase in coal consumption for electricity production. This scenario is possible: the economic growth of China and India motivates them to develop their own deposits and develop electricity and production through cheap coal production. The installed capacity of coal generating facilities in these countries will almost double from 2008 to 2035. The development of the industry will require significant investments in the mining industry and infrastructure (including transport), so during the period of industry development, in our opinion, rapid economic growth cannot be expected from these countries.

Electricity production at nuclear power plants in 2008 amounted to 2600 TWh, and by 2035 it is projected to increase to 4900 TWh. Currently, not only electricity production at nuclear power plants is growing, but also their capacity factor: from 65% in 1990 to 80% currently, which indicates an increase in the efficiency of nuclear energy. Considering the increase in nuclear power plant capacity, it can be noted that the countries actively involved in the development of nuclear energy are China, India and Russia. From 2008 to 2035, China's nuclear power plant capacity will increase almost 13 times (from 9 GW to 106 GW), India - almost 7 times (from 4.1 to 28 GW). The increase in nuclear power plant capacity in Russia over the forecast period is planned at 122% (from 23.2 GW in 2008 to 51.5 GW in 2035).

Another important area of ​​electricity production is RES. Electricity production based on renewable energy sources is currently one of the fastest growing areas of the electric power industry. A serious obstacle to the construction of such generating capacities is the high cost of projects and their oscillatory nature of work, but this does not stop countries from developing this sector of the electric power industry: the growth rate of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the forecast period is planned at 3.1% per year. Of the 4600 TWh projected electricity generated from renewable energy sources by 2035, 55% will be produced by hydroelectric power plants and 27% by wind power plants. In the last ten years, the importance of wind energy has greatly increased: installed wind power capacity increased from 18 GW in 2001 to 121 GW in 2009. Obviously, the trend of increasing wind power will continue in the future. Governments of many countries around the world have already announced measures aimed at developing renewable energy. The European Union plans that in 2020, renewable energy sources will account for 20% of all generation volumes; The US goal is 10-20% of production from renewable energy sources, while China expects to receive 100 GW of energy from them by 2020.

Even in conditions of crisis and reduction in the activity of many industries, electricity production remained practically at the same level, and in some countries even increased. Electric power industry is important section The fuel and energy complex of any country and the whole world, and therefore by 2035 the volume of electricity produced is expected to increase. Taking into account the described trends, we can also expect an increase in electricity prices.