Assessment of the solar energy potential in border regions of the Far Eastern federal district

Renewable energy is a significant topic of the contemporary discourse. Despite the numerous challenges, there has been an increase in the share and the overall electricity generation from renewable sources in numerous countries and regions worldwide. The Russian Federation does not currently have strong performance in this energy sector, particularly in terms of wind and solar power generation. However, renewable energy could play a significant role in achieving the energy security in Russia. The Far East of Russia faces a particularly pressing issue in terms of energy supply. There are growing concerns about the energy deficit in the region, which could cause problems with domestic consumption and impact the export component. Also, the Far East accounts for over 60% of the total emissions of pollutants from thermal power plants in the country. The issue of renewable energy development has been regularly raised within the energy security framework, for instance, plans to utilize renewable energy for the future production of “green” hydrogen. These plans are reflected in the “Concept for the Development of Hydrogen Energy in the Russian Federation”, which in turn states the creation of at least three clusters for “green” hydrogen production, an Eastern one among them. Given the current geopolitical landscape, as well as the gradual reorientation of Russia’s trade towards the countries in the Asia-Pacific Region, it is the Eastern Cluster that could play a crucial role in ensuring the future energy security of the country. The paper aims to evaluate the potential of the territories within the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation for solar energy development, by identifying possible locations for implementing the appropriate technological solutions. The study utilizes a method of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), combined with the application of Fuzzy and Boolean logic techniques. Relevant evaluation criteria were identified, and a pairwise comparison matrix was constructed. The absolute spatial values for the criteria were converted into relative values using fuzzy logic tools. Certain restrictive factors were also taken into consideration. A statistical analysis was conducted to identify administrative-territorial units with the highest scores based on the applied methodology. An assessment was made of the area suitable for implementing the relevant technologies.