Russian authorities have just approved the first batch of
JI-projects ever, and the Danish Amursk Project is among 15
projects to receive this long awaited Letter of Approval. The
project is expected to reduce emissions by around 270.000 t CO2
annually.
August 18,
2010
As a part of its JI/CDM activities in Eastern Europe and developing
countries, Denmark has during the last 5 years prepared JI-projects
in Russia with a focus on energy efficiency and cleaner energy
generation. Russia is clearly a country with both potential and a
need for these kinds of investments, but so far an important
prerequisite – namely the formal Russian approval - has been
lacking. As this is now in place, the good news has been welcomed
by the Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, Lykke Friis:
“It is indeed good news that we now see the first project
approvals in Russia, a nation with significant potential for
climate friendly investments. Therefore, I also brought up the
matter during the Russian presidential visit to Denmark in April of
this year.”
As many as 39 projects participated in the first tender, but only
15 made it to the list of approved projects. Among these 15 was the
Danish fuel-shift project at the CHP plant in Amursk in Far Eastern
Russia, where heavily polluting coal usage will be replaced by
natural gas, and more efficient fuel utilization. The fuel shift
and the efficiency improvements will reduce CO2 emissions with a
total of 270.000 t. annually, and also ensure significant
reductions in the emissions of NOx, SO2 and fly ash.
Denmark also participates in the Danish Carbon Fund under the World
Bank. Another Russian JI-project under this fund also gained
Russian approval in the first tender.
Lykke Friis adds: ”My satisfaction with the Russian news is
strengthened by the approval of the Amursk project, and I clearly
see this as an endorsement of the strong Russian-Danish cooperation
in the field of energy.”
The Danish state and the project host, Far-Eastern Generating
Company, signed the emission reduction purchase agreement in 2005,
but it is only with the recent approval, that the project can lead
to issuance of CO2-credits.
For further information visit, www.ens.dk