Multi-criteria Comparative Analysis of Power Generation Various Sources Efficiency in Russia

Today there is no doubt about the decisive role of the electric power industry in the global development of mankind. The question of which type of power generation is the most effective is still relevant. The aim of the work is to develop a method for evaluating the effectiveness of various sources of electricity generation based on a system of interrelated criteria and the selection of the most efficient energy source. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were formulated in the work: an analytical review of the concept of project implementation efficiency and traditional methods of its evaluation; specification of the efficiency category in the field of electricity generation; critical analysis of existing studies of the use of multi-criteria methods for evaluating the efficiency of electricity generation industry; development of an supplemented multi-criteria method for evaluating the efficiency of power generation sources; application of the method on specific power generation sources and description of the results. An important practical result was the development of a universal method for evaluating the effectiveness applicable to traditional and alternative sources of electricity generation. To assess the economic component, the indicator of the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) was used, for non-economic – indicators of safety and reliability, environmental impact on the environment, social significance, geography of application in Russia. The developed multi-criteria method was tested at the research objects. Integral indicators for each object, obtained from weighted estimates according to the criteria, showed that the most effective source of power generation in Russia is nuclear power. Wind energy has a great potential for use in our country. Traditional methods of electric power generation lose their relevance due to the limited resources of minerals and the negative impact on the environment.