YAILYU, June 7 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s first hybrid diesel/solar power plant was launched Friday in south-central Siberia.
The 140 kW plant in a nature reserve in the Altai Republic has been operating in test mode since March 1.
It is expected to meet most of the electricity needs in the mountainous village of Yailyu where it is located, saving about 50 percent of current diesel consumption.
Solar power will account for 30-40 percent of the plant’s total output, with the rest supplied by its diesel module.
The plant will have a guaranteed service life of 25 years. The republic’s authorities are expected to set up similar energy generation systems in other remote parts of the region.