Ecological and economic efficiency of the use of alternative energy technologies including hydrogen to reduce of the anthropogenic load in the central ecological area of the Baikal natural territory

Abstract

The central ecological area of the Baikal natural territory covers some districts of the Irkutsk oblast and the Republic of Buryatia, located on the coast of the Lake Baikal. Due to the natural uniqueness and special status of doing economic activity, the assessment of the impact on the environment in this territory is very importance. An analysis of the functioning of energy objects showed that a significant part of the territory is provided with a centralized electricity supply with developed electric grid infrastructure. There are only a few remote settlements with autonomous electricity supply from diesel power plants. The main sources of pollution are numerous boiler houses that provide heat to the population, social and administrative institutions. In all, there are 98 heat energy sources in the territory, of which 66 (or 70%) use coal. The problems of environmental pollution are mainly caused by the use of coal in a small boiler house, worn-out equipment, and the lack of an appropriate level of flue gas treatment. The total estimated emission of pollutants into the atmosphere from heat energy sources is estimated at 20–25 thousand tons per year. In order to reduce the anthropogenic impact from energy objects, it is advisable to use renewable energy sources, hydrogen technologies, coal substitution with environmentally friendly fuels, use of electricity for heat energy supply, installation of environmental protection equipment and the implementation of energy-saving measures. The methodological approach and simulation models developed at MESI SB RAS were used to determine the competitiveness conditions of alternative technologies and energy carriers. The studies evaluated the environmental and economic efficiency of energy production technologies by using specific indicators: the capital intensity of reducing 1 ton of emissions and environmental capital return by 1 million rubles for the conditions of the central ecological area. The potential for reducing emissions into the atmosphere by use of renewable energy sources in autonomous energy supply areas is less than 1% of the current level of total emissions from energy objects. The potential for reducing emissions by replacing boiler houses with a capacity of less than 0,2 Gcal/h by a heat pump units is no more than 12%. The biggest environmental effect can be achieved by using alternative energy carriers including hydrogen instead of coal. Moreover, the potential for reducing emissions is 60% of the total emissions. In addition to these activities are the least capital intensive. The most effectively is the replacement of coal with natural gas. Rational gas consumption in the coastal areas of Lake Baikal is estimated at 175–190 thousand tons of equivalent fuel. The real possibility of transferring small boiler houses to gas arises during the construction of an export gas pipeline from Russia (through the territory of the Irkutsk oblast) to China via Mongolia, or by the small-scale production of liquefied natural gas. The most currently implemented direction is the use of electricity for heat energy supply. The potential volume of electricity to replace coal in boiler houses of the central ecological area is 1,3 TWh per year, however, the competitive electricity tariff is estimated less than 2 US c/kWh, which is several times lower than current tariffs. Hydrogen technology is currently very capital-intensive, but using it in a way similar to using electricity for heat eliminates pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions. Now days, there are no effective financial mechanisms aimed at stimulating the reduction of the anthropogenic pressure on the environment from existing energy sources, including for the use of alternative technologies. As the result, significant financial support is required in the form of special cost compensation mechanisms for energy producers and/or consumers.