MOSCOW (Commodity Online) : In its quest to develop more alternative energy sources, Russia is planning to invest $200 million in the construction of the country's largest wind-power plant in its Black Sea Territory of southern Krasnoyarsk.

According to country’s energy ministry, the plant, to be located near the city of Yeisk, on the coast of the Sea of Azov, will initially produce 50MW of energy annually, with its capacity then expected to rise to 100MW a year.

Construction will begin when a special bill determining the procedure for the allocation of the money is adopted, the ministry said.

The development of alternative energy sources is in line with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's move to diversify the country's economy, which is heavily dependent on oil and gas exports.

Research conducted in the Yeisk area has revealed the three best sites for the plant's wind power generators. The generators will occupy a total of 700 hectares.
According to the ministry’s estimates, the Southern and North Caucasus Federal Districts' energy output may account for 200 billion kilowatt-hours a year.

Russia also intends to build its first solar plant in the North Caucasus resort city of Kislovodsk and construction, which will require 3 billion rubles ($99 million), may begin in 2011.

The general capacity of the plant, which will produce both heating and electricity, will be 13 MW.