Siberian Anthracite (part of the Sibanthracite Group) is going to be the first Russian coal producer to fully cover its energy needs through wind power generation.
The decision to switch to renewables is dictated by the Group’s desire to reduce its indirect greenhouse gas emissions. With the company’s total consumption of about 56.6m kWh per year, a 100% switch to clean wind power will enable Siberian Anthracite to reduce its indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 17.8 to 49.6 thousand tonnes of CO2 annually, according to various expert estimates.
The company will purchase green energy from JSC Novosibirskenergosbyt under a three-year contract already signed, while this energy will be generated by JSC NovaWind’s wind power plants (Rosatom’s wind power subsidiary) in the Stavropol Krai and the Republic of Adygea. The energy supply starts on 1 January 2022.
Energy origin will be tracked using the I-REC system developed by the International REC Standard Foundation, an international non-profit organisation. The production of electricity from renewables will be confirmed by appropriate international certificates.
Siberian Anthracite’s transition to green wind energy is part of the Group’s comprehensive programme to assess the company’s carbon footprint. Plans include the conversion to renewables of other enterprises: LLC Razrez Vostochny, Novosibirsk Oblast and LLC Razrez Kiyzassky, Kemerovo Oblast. In addition, opportunities to use clean energy will be envisaged in Sibanthracite’s new investment projects.
It should be noted that in addition to buying clean energy with green certificates, another decarbonisation strategy is gaining popularity in the Russian market. Russian enterprises purchase green energy from direct producers, wind farms and solar power plants. For example, the Vetropark (a member of the RAWI) is preparing a large portfolio of wind farm projects for oil, mining and manufacturing companies that are reducing their carbon footprint.