Energy Security in the Arctic Zone

Abstract

The development of the electric power industry and ensuring energy security is at the heart of the social and economic development of any region. The development of the electric power industry in the Arctic is difficult due to the remoteness of the regions and the harsh climate. One of the main challenges to the energy security of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation is the high share of local electricity generation based on the use of economically inefficient and environmentally unsafe diesel fuel. Based on a comparative analysis of the energy policy and approaches of the countries of the Arctic region (Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) to ensure energy security and the development of the electric power industry, several approaches of ensuring reliable energy supply to the northern Arctic territories were identified. The North American countries rely on the large-scale use of renewable energy sources and the development of decentralized energy supply in energy-isolated areas. The Nordic countries are in favor of increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the energy balance and gradually abandoning traditional generation technologies. The Arctic region of the Russian Federation is characterized by the largest territory, population, as well as the largest amount of installed power capacity and electricity produced. When considering the direction of the development of the electric power system of the Arctic region in the interests of strengthening its unity with the economic space of Russia, it was concluded that the most promising areas for this development can be: the development of generation technologies using renewable energy, the construction of low-power nuclear power plants (including floating nuclear power plants), and the use of high-voltage direct current power lines for the transmission of electricity over long distances with minimal losses. At the same time, the greatest efficiency will be achieved when using the entire range of available technologies.KeywordsEnergyEnergy securityArcticEnergy policyPower supplyRenewables