Nowadays, one of the most imminent problems facing power systems in post-industrial countries is the sustainable development of power systems under conditions of increasing power consumption irregularity due to the reduction of the industry’s share in consumers’ demand for electric power. In today’s Russia, this issue is becoming very acute due to the significant share of electric power and heat co-generation that is demonstrating low manoeuvrability and poor adaptation to operations in the daily variation of electric power demand. This paper considers the problem of improving the power system steady-state through the optimization of the production structure of thermal power plants. We propose a combinatorial algorithm that improves the planning of the structural and technological modernization of the power equipment configuration, with a glance at the forecast of the increasing irregularity of power consumption.

Our paper analyzes the issue of managing structural and technological modernization of the Russian power utilities industry based on the basic criteria of sustainable development. We have chosen coal-fired generation and its defining technologies as the main subject for our analysis. Key points of the Russian power utilities development strategy that has been drawn up to 2030 are compared against the basic principles of sustainable development. Moreover, a mathematical economic model is proposed to justify the choice of coal-fired power plant technology from the standpoint of economic, social, and environmental efficiency.

This paper is devoted to improvement of environmental safety in hydrocarbon-firing TPPs. Despite the development of renewable power sources, the number of traditional power production facilities continues its growth. The toxic emission mitigation in traditional TPPs has been deeply investigated, but the problem of greenhouse gas atmospheric emissions is of topical interest. Oxy-fuel technology reduces CO₂ emissions and is highly efficient and environmentally safe. Also, it requires relatively low capital investments. Thermal efficiency analysis shows that the Allam cycle facilities have the best efficiency. Their thermodynamic parameters can be optimized with minimal primary costs and capital investments. This newly developed analysis was used to compare the investment efficiency of projects for the buildup of oxy-fuel and combined cycle facilities. Without emission quote payments, the NPV of combined cycle projects is 16% higher, as well as having a lower DPP. The electricity production primary costs in oxy-fuel and combined cycle facilities are similar, which reflects the technologies’ similarity and similar fuel costs. Implementation of carbon dioxide emission quote marketing makes oxy-fuel facilities more investment-attractive. Parametric studies show that when Russia implements CO₂ emission quotes compatible with the current EU level, an oxy-fuel facility erection project will be financially reasonable. Thus, it can be concluded that the construction of oxy-fuel power plants is one of the most promising and investment-attractive solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in the energy sector for large industrialized countries. The managerial consequences of their implementation will include the stabilization of greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring the financial stability of the energy industry.

This paper explores the layout of an optimum process for supplying heat to Russian municipal heating systems operating in a market environment. We analyze and compare the standard cogeneration unit design with two-stage reheating of service water coming from controlled extraction locations and layouts that employ three in-line reheaters with heat the supply controlled by a rotary diaphragm and qualitative/quantitative methods (so-called “uncontrolled extraction”). Cogeneration unit designs are benchmarked in terms of their thermal efficiency expressed as a fuel consumption rate. The specific fuel consumption rate on electricity production is viewed as a key parameter of thermal efficiency.

Our paper tackles the timely and highly-debated issue of assessment of the level of energy security for Russia’s territorial entities. Our analysis is carried out from the perspective of economic and management threats to reliable power supply for consumers caused by the process of integration of energy systems and the expansion of market regulation mechanisms. In particular, we focus on the creation and integration of energy systems using a case study of the remote territorial entity represented by Russia’s Far Eastern region that present a topic of special interest with respect to the subject and the scope of this research. We define and build the methods that might be used for determining the economically justified level of energy security under the market economy conditions based on ensuring a balance of interests between territorial government bodies and territorial generating companies in the process of forming a strategy for the development of a territorial energy system. Our results clearly demonstrate that current electricity tariffs and prices for the end consumers at the remote territorial entities, such as the Russian Far Eastern region, pose a threat to energy security since they are underestimated due to social and political concerns and often lead to unprofitable power generation. We argue that political consideration aside, energy systems creation and integration should be made viable and sustainable not only in Russia, but also in other countries. Our outcomes show that a more reasonable energy tariff policy might be appropriate when relevant stakeholders and policy-makers attempt to create conditions for the advanced development of remote industrial areas.

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies