Minister: Armenia`s solar energy has an inexhaustible potential

ArmInfo. In the coming months, the first experimental accumulation station with a capacity of 14 MW will be commissioned in Armenia, thanks to which it will be possible to accumulate electricity produced from solar energy facilities. The Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Manukyan stated this on March 21, responding to the request of the faction of the opposition bloc "Elk".

According to him, the solar energy of Armenia has an inexhaustible potential, the problem is only in the possibility of accumulating electricity produced from it. "There comes night, and there is no energy, and in the morning it appears, therefore we need accumulation facilities," Manukyan said, adding that solar energy facilities up to 70 MW do not carry risks, from 70 to 110 MW - medium risks, but more 110 MW are very large. Without accumulation systems, it is possible to increase the volume of electricity production to 150 MW, but for large volumes modern technologies are needed. In addition, there are questions concerning the possibility of building small or large stations, build them with or without accumulation, accumulate stations to be built centrally or separately. In the case of a positive result from the first accumulation station, licenses for the construction of solar stations will be issued in unlimited quantities. "But here too, there may be problems - whether to allow the construction of stations in the black earth zone of the Ararat Valley, whether to allow their construction at a distance of 20 meters from the road or not." Answers to all these questions will be received this year," the minister assured.

He recalled that until the end of 2016, the share of alternative energy in the total electricity produced in the country was less than 1%. Then in Armenia there were only 2 wind stations. And only in 2017 began work on the development of solar energy. Already 11 licenses have been granted for the construction of solar power plants up to 1 MW, of which 3 are built, and 8 are under construction. A tender for the construction of a solar power plant of industrial significance Masrik-1 with a capacity of 55 MW was announced.

Unequivocally one thing, the minister continued, within the next 10 years Armenia will completely abandon the thermal energy sector through the development of renewable and alternative energy sources.  Electricity produced in the country from thermal blocks will be used exclusively for its supply to foreign markets.