The Role of Small Hydropower Systems in Providing Energy to Remote Regions (on the Example of Russia and the European Union)

Even though energy-saving technologies are currently being actively developed, the shortage of electricity, especially in remote regions, which are far away frow central power grid, remains an acute issue. This applies to a large extent to Russia, where the development of a unified energy system is unprofitable due to the wide distribution of territories. The purpose of this study is to assess the ability of small and micro-hydropower systems to meet the electricity needs of residents of remote and hard-to-reach regions of Siberia and the Far East, as well as to analyze the competitiveness of Russian micro-hydroelectric power plants in the domestic market. To achieve this goal, a regression analysis was conducted, in which we compared the quality characteristics of various equipment produced in Russia and in New Zealand. The study attempts to justify the choice of Russian micro-hydroelectric power plants as the most effective solution to the problem of electricity shortage in remote regions.