Ilya Likhov, owner of Neosun, offered to install solar panels on the Novosibirsk mayor’s office for free, but faced bureaucratic hurdles and ultimately abandoned the project due to a lack of interest from local officials. Likhov, who had been building solar panels in Russia since 2016 before moving his business abroad in 2022, encountered resistance and a lack of understanding about solar energy’s potential in the region.

Likhov’s experience highlights the challenges faced by alternative energy businesses in Russia. Despite advancements in technology and decreasing costs, the primary obstacle remains the lack of awareness and misconceptions among business leaders and government officials. Likhov noted that his company has completed more projects in South Africa in the past year than in all their time working in Russia, underscoring the disparity in adoption rates.

The proposal to install solar panels on the mayor’s office emerged during an innovation forum where Mayor Anatoly Lokot discussed plans to modernize Novosibirsk by 2030. Likhov saw this as an opportunity to contribute to the city’s innovation goals. He envisioned a project where the solar panels would power a screen displaying the energy generated by the city administration, showcasing a commitment to renewable energy.

However, the proposal was met with bureaucratic delays and indifference. Likhov was repeatedly redirected between various deputies, ministers, and managers, ultimately leading to a dead end. The chief engineer reportedly dismissed the idea, and Likhov felt he was “running around the offices begging officials to take money” from him.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Likhov abandoned the project and decided to avoid further business dealings with local officials, whom he characterized as being part of a “swamp.” He expressed disappointment with the previous city administration’s reluctance to implement innovative solutions and criticized the disconnect between their rhetoric of development and their lack of action.

Likhov hopes that the new mayor will be more open to innovation.

A request for comment was sent to the Novosibirsk mayor’s office, but no response was received by the time of publication.