Russia will synchronize large-scale energy projects, including the development of new deposits, with market demand, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
He said that although global demand for energy had declined, "we proceed from best-case scenarios" and that "energy demand will eventually grow."
Putin is in Helsinki taking part in the Baltic Sea Action Summit (BSAS) and discussing bilateral cooperation with Finnish, Lithuanian, Danish and Norwegian top officials.
He said the structure of energy consumption was unlikely to change in the next 15-20 years despite the development of alternative sources of energy.
"Unfortunately, or fortunately, neither solar energy nor firewood nor dried manure will be able to replace hydrocarbons in the next 15 to 20 years," Putin said.