"Azerbaijan is a prospective area in terms of solar power" - INTERVIEW

Director of the Association of Solar Energy Enterprises of Russia Anton Usachev gave an interview to Report's local bureau. He answered questions about the advantages and shortages of solar panels, their use in Azerbaijan, and public transport.

- What are the benefits and deficiencies of solar panels as an energy source?

- Thanks to the development of technology and support, solar devices are among the cheapest energy sources. Consequently, solar power increased from 30 gV to 500 gV within five years. According to the international organizations' calculations, the electricity from 80% of solar plants to be built in 2020 will be cheaper than the energy obtained from new coal, gas, and diesel devices. The volume of energy production depends on the sunbeams and efficiency ratio of the device. The exploitation of solar plants is easy and economical. The significant shortage of these plants is that they depend on sunlight. So that these plants reduce energy production in gloomy weather, do not work at night. However, the improvement of devices accumulating energy in the solar powers will eliminate this problem.

- How widely have the solar panels spread today? To what extent is Russia's experience in this field?

- According to experts, 142 gV of solar energy plants may be built worldwide in 2020, which is 14% more than the previous year. The total capacity of these plants in 2019 reached 592 gV. Based on the solar energy in Russia, which increases the production of solar energy devices and ancillary equipment, it also constructs small power stations. Local technology with high effectiveness has been patented in the country. Russia intends to increase the total capacity of solar power stations to 1.7 gV by 2024. Moreover, a new technology based on hybrid devices, which will meet the energy demand of the population and industry where the electricity lacks, is being applied successfully.

- What would you say about solar panels in Azerbaijan?

- As nearly 250 days are sunny in Azerbaijan, it is one of the countries that are favorable for solar energy. As in the US, the volume of the solar radiation in Azerbaijan is 1,500-2,000 kVm2, while it is 800-1,600 kVm2 in Russia, 1,200-1,400 in France and 1,800-2,000 in China.

- Is it possible to shift the public transport to solar panels? How is the global experience in this field?

- In recent times, the use of solar panels in both industry and private houses made its use in public transport a current issue. Currently, solar energy is mainly used for recharge of batteries of electric buses. So, the wideness of the electric buses' roofs creates a condition for solar panels installation. It provides, for instance, sufficient energy for air-conditioners in the buses. The first electric bus was put into use in Australia in 2007. The 40-seat buses, which were supplied with air-conditioners and recuperative brake system, gets energy from a special solar station in Adelaide city more than from solar panels. Moreover, hybrid buses that have been manufactured in China since 2012 obtains power through lithium-ion batteries feeding on solar panels. As for railways, solar panels can be installed either on roofs or on the side of rails. The trains moving between Paris and Amsterdam work thanks to solar energy. Azerbaijan is favorable for the implementation of such projects because of plenty of sunbeams.

- what can you say about the use of solar panels to light underground passages and tunnels?

- The energy produced by solar power stations is usually given to a common energy network and helps every device and equipment work. At the same time, solar panels can be used for traffic lights.