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Armenia has a significant renewable energy potential. It ranges from wind, biomass, hydroelectric, solar and geothermal energy. It is estimated that Armenia has a potential of more than 1,000 MW feasible capacity from solar photovoltaic (PV), 300-500 MW from wind, 250-350 MW from unexploited small HPPs, and 25 MW from geothermal energy. There is also potential for producing 100,000 tons per year of biofuel from local plants to be used as gasoline additive.

Biomass Energy

Biomass briquette made of hay

The Republic of Armenia has a great potential of using Biomass as a part of its energy generation. According to the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia, the usage of biomass as a source of power or gas is not broad in Armenia. However, the potential of recieveing biogas is around 135 million meters³ and the utilization process has already been initialized.

Biomass Related Projects in RA

• BBI International conducted country-wide research in Armenia. The aim of the study was to find optimal alternatives to the conventional bioethanol production.
• Renewable Resources and Energy Saving National Program of RA esitmated both technically and economically advantageous implementation of biogas production.

Statistics

• In 2006, the Renewable Resources and Energy Saving National Program of RA estimated the potential perspectives of the implementations of various biomass production processes. The projects that were both technically and economically possible were integrated to the forecasts of biogas production in RA.

Forecasts of biogas production in Armenia in 2020

Source of biogas	Volumes of investments, Million USD	Annual volumes of biogas, Million m3/year	Anual saving of organic fossil fuel thou. tce	Payback period, years	Reduction of GHG emissions, thou. t CO2/year	Ration of annual fossil fuel savings to investmentsm thou. tce/million USD
Manure from cattle farms	0.73	1.06	0.83	8	15.57	1.15
Manure from pig farms	0.21	0.3	0.24	8	4.41	1.15
Manure from poultry farms	16.55	9.79	7.69	8	206.84	0.46
Nubarashen municipal landfill	6.83	9.72	7.62	8	135.0	1.12
Landfills of other cities of Armenia	3.85	5.47	4.29	8	76.08	1.15
Municipial sewage waters	6.01	12	9.43	8	106.7	1.57
Total	34.17	38.34	30.10		544.6

Wind Power

Wind power in the Republic of Armenia is a part of the energy industry in Armenia. It is still a rare means of energy generation in Armenia. According to a U.S. Department of Energy study, theoretically, Armenia has 5,000 MW wind energy capacity. However, as Armenia is highly mountainous country, this capacity does not equal to the actual electricity generation. Most of the areas with the potential of high wind are not easily accessible for constructing wind turbines.

History

The Republic of Armenia has created numerous mechanisms, promoting the use of wind power. In December 2005, the first wind power plant, Lori 1 started operating in Armenia, with a total power capacity of 2.64 MW. This wind power plant consists of four wind turbines, each of which has a power capacity of 660 KW. The construction of Lori 1 was funded by the Iranian company "Sunir" and is located along the Bazum Mountains at Pushkin Pass. In the future, it is foreseen to enlarge the wind power plant capacity up to 50 MW. However, as of 2017, the Lori 1, stays the only operating wind farm in Armenia.

Lori 1 WPP at Pushkin pass, Armenia

In 2003, the Wind Energy Resource Atlas of Armenia was drawn by the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of The Republic of Armenia. According to it, the general locations with a high wind potential are the Zod Pass, Bazum Range, Pushkin and Qarakhach Passes, Jajur Pass, Geghama Range, Sevan Pass, Aparan Region, Sisian-Goris Hills and Meghri Area.

RA Wind Power future plans

Within the framework of European Union program, a monitoring was organized in the Semenovka Pass in Sevan region. It showed that a wind power plant can be constructed in that area, which can generate a power capacity of 35 MW.

Another monitoring was conducted at Qarakhach Pass in Shirak region by an Armenian-Italian company “Ar Energy” in order to construct a wind farm in this region with a power capacity of 140 MW. Moreover, a research was done by the company "Zod Wind" near Zod Pass in Gegharkunik region, for the construction of 20 MW wind power plant.The companies “Ar Energy” and “Zod Wind” are currently planning to start the construction of “Qarakhach-1” and “Zod” wind power plants.

Hydropower in Armenia

Currently, hydropower is the most developed and highly used type of renewable energy in RA. Armenia`s hydropower potential is provided by 200 rivers and streams which together can provide a potential of 21,8 bln. KWh. The main two hydropower sources are Vorotan and Sevan-Hrazdan cascades, which together provide 17% of the country`s electricity. 13% of RA`s energy generation is covered by 178 SHPPs, the number of which is projected to increase during the following years with the realization of several hydro projects.

Hystory

Historically hydropower was one of the greatest sources of the electricity production in RA.The first hydropower station had been founded in 1903. With its construction, it enabled to start copper production in Syunik. Till the 1910s, there were 9 SHPPs operating in the Republic of Armenia. The total power capacity of these plants was 2155KW and the actual annual electricity production in 1913 was 5,1 million KWh. In the 1920s the construction tendency of the hydropower plants started to grow. First examples became two HPPs constructed in Erevan and Gyumri`s HPP. Later, in 1927, Dzoraget Hydroelectric Power Station construction started, which began its operation in 1932.In the early 1990s, there were 28 Small hydropower plants operating. Starting from the 2000s, Armenian government undertook the construction of new SHPPs. In 2010, the number of SHPPs operating in the country reached to more than 80 thus providing about 5% of the total energy production of Armenia.

Armenia water resources

Rivers of Armenia

Armenia has more than 200 rivers and streams flowing inside its territory. Most of them have a length of more than 10000km. The biggest rivers are Araks, Hrazdan and Debed. Armenia`s hydropower potential is 21,8 bln. KWh, from which more than 85% comes from big and middle rivers. Only 15% of the energy potential comes from small rivers or streams.

Big and Small Hydropower plants

There are two big hydropower cascades in Armenia, Vorotan and Sevan-Hrazdan. Sevan-Hrazdan cascade includes 7 HPPs with the total capacity of 565 MW, which supplies about 10% of the country`s electricity consumption. The annual electricity generation is 2.32 bln. KWh. Vorotan cascade is a combination of three stations. With the total energy capacity of 404 MW (7% of the total supply), it is the second largest hydroelectric power plant in Armenia. The annual electricity production is about 1,16bln. KWh. ,

According to the data of January 1, 2017, 178 Small Hydropower Plants were in operation with the total electricity generation capacity of 328 MW, in case of average 880 million actual energy supply. In 2016, SHPPs provided about 13% of Armenia`s energy generation.

RA Hydropower future plans

According to the projections (January 1, 2017), 74 MW capacity will be added to the total energy potential of Armenia`s SHPPs during the following years with the construction of 39 additional SHPPs which will increase total annual electricity supply by 260KWh. A recent memorandum (10/30/2017) signed between the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the RA and the US Ambassador in Armenia implies the realization of the hydro project Shnogh, which will increase the energy capacity of RA by 76 MW. Besides Shnogh, there are 2 other middle-sized HPP construction plans. The Meghri HPP with the capacity of 100MW and annual energy generation of 800 million kWh will be constructed on Araks river. Loriberd HPP will be constructed on Dzoraget River and will have a capacity of 66MW with annual electricity generation of about 200 million KWh.

Geothermal Energy in Armenia

Currently, there are number of geothermal energy sources in Armenia (in Jermuk, Hanqavan etc.) however they are not used because of the high level of corrosion property.

Future Plans

A lot of research was conducted to detect expedient sources of geothermal energy. One of the promising locations is Jermaghbyur, whose geological and geophysical surveys allow us to assume that at a depth of 2500-3000 meters there is a high pressure (20-25 ccm) hot water reserves. In case of confirmation of this data, the geothermal power plant with the capacity of 25 MW in Armenia will be constructed at Jermaghbyur.

Within the framework of joint financing of the Republic of Armenia and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, corresponding geophysical research has been completed in two geothermal platforms called "Gridzor" and "Karkar". The program for Renewable Energy Program (SREP) of the Climate Investment Funds, Armenia has approved the investment program for Renewable Energy, according to which in 2016 the geological drilling works at the Karkar geothermal site were implemented. Results of the tests and the relevant measurements will be published in 2017.

Karkar

In Karkar, a region of Syunik, drilling works are performed at a height of 3100 meters above sea level. The financing of geological studies has been undertaken by the Climate Investment Fund, co-financed by the Government of Armenia. It is planned to drill 1200 meters.

It is planned to have a capacity of up to 30 MW, with an annual capacity of 250 MW / h, which will operate all year round. This is a source of renewable energy, which does not depend on weather or other conditions and is always active, which is why it is valuable for energy system. A land road has been built in Syunik Mountains to reach mountainous highway and transport it to the equipment, which by the way will never be asphalted. The Climate Investment Fund has provided a $ 9 million grant to the project and it is considered not to damage the Syunik highland, Alpine nature. In addition to Karkar, there are potential sources of geothermal energy also in Jermaghbyur, Gridzor and Armenia-Georgia border.

Solar Power in Armenia

Armenia has great potential of solar energy. According to Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the RA the annual solar energy flow in 1 m² in RA is about 1720 kWh.

Solar Energy as a type of Renewable Energy in Armenia.

In Armenia the use of alternative sources of energy is rapidly growing. The professionals of the Solar Power estimate this rapid growth positively, according to. The installment of Solar Station in Mets Masrik has become the start for Armenin Solar Energy development.

"Solar Village In Armenia"

File:Lernamerdz Solar power

<a title="By HetqTV [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons"><img width="512" alt="Lernamerdz Gyux" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Lernamerdz_Gyux.jpg/512px-Lernamerdz_Gyux.jpg"/></a>

In 2017 in Armavir region in Lernamerdz village, almost 90% of people are already using Solar Water Heating Systems. At more than 29 homes Solar Photovoltaics systems have been installed,for installation Armenian Goverment used over 40 million AMD which help to convert the energy from the Sun into Electrical energy.

AEG.

Costs for installing Solar Pannels in RA

According to Sputnik Armenia for the avarage Armenian family(consisting of 4-5 people) the cost of installmet of Solar Panels will cost about 5000 american dollars. The amount of excess Electrical Energy familys can sell to AEG. Sputnik Armenia assures that certain calculators will be set up, those calculator will count how much energy has been sold to AEG.

Dashtadem PV plant total of 12.5MPW is located in Aragatsotn Region, RA.The net power capacity of PV plant is10.47MW (AC) with a peak power installed of 12.47MWp and ratio DC/AC 1.19.

Solar Photovoltaic modules in Armenia

AUA solar panels

According to Minestry of Energy Iinfrustucters and Natural Resources of the RA] in Armenia already several PV panel have been installed, “Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Program (SREP)” is intended to develop up to 110 MW utility-scale solar PV all around the Armenia. Project with the name Grant Project for Utility Scale Solar Energy project preparation is intended to use International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) about 2.0 mln USD. In the framework of the project it is foreseen to implement the assessment of the Solar Energy potential at the landing with the higest potencian in accordance with initial data.Total project cost is 2,5 mln USD, where 2 mln USD is Grant, 0,5 mln. USD is co-financing of RA Government. The aim of this project is Support the Republic of Armenia in the process of the foreseen Utility Scale Solar Energy project preparation.'Project pricess' The Agreement Grant Project for Utility Scale Solar Energy project preparation signed between the Republic of Armenia and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development on June 5, 2015 and June 30, 201 5was approved by presidential decree N NH-471-N on July 23, 2015. The Consulting Agreement on solar potential assessment was signed on November 23, 2015. In the framework of the project 4 monitoring stations were installed, the measurements began in May, 2016. On February, 2016 a service provision contract on “Feasibility Study and Operations Consulting” was signed. The consultant submitted a preliminary report according to which 6 landings (community land) had been chosen for stations construction. An additional agreement was signed due to which the preliminary feasibility study task of 40-50 MW was brought to capacity of 100MW.The submission of the reports was devided into two phases. By the first phase tender documents and studies for foreseen Masrik and Dashtadem with total capacity of about 60MW stations were submitted. By the second phase the consultant will submit the reports for the stations with total capacity of about 50MW at other landings. The construction of the first station is foreseen to begin in March 2017.