The key principle for energy cooperation among BRICS nations is that each country must independently determine its own energy transition path based on a principle of “technological neutrality,” the head of the Russian Energy Agency (REA) said.
Speaking in an exclusive interview at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Aleksey Kulapin, General Director of the REA, said this conclusion was reached unanimously by experts on the BRICS energy research platform.
“The conclusion reached by our experts, which was unanimous, is that each country has the right and must independently determine the trajectory of its energy transition based on its functional characteristics, energy structure and economy,” said Kulapin.
He explained that because the BRICS group includes both major exporters and importers of energy resources, there can be no universal approach. At the same time, states must comply with international obligations and ensure the improvement of their citizens’ quality of life, he said.
Kulapin said the principle of technological neutrality, approved by all BRICS countries, means that the development of renewable energy sources should not be over-emphasised.
“The development of renewable energy sources should not be fetishised,” he noted. According to Russian forecasts, the share of renewables will grow by 2050, but gas will remain the main source of energy, while the share of oil and coal will decline.
Kulapin, speaking at the TV BRICS studio in the Roscongress International Cooperation Area, stated that the energy research platform has proven to be an effective mechanism for cooperation, and its experience is now being replicated in other areas. The REA, part of Russia’s Ministry of Energy, operates the Russian secretariat for the platform, which conducts annual research.
