ArmInfo. Ameriabank CJSC initiated the holding of discussions at the "Sunny Leasing" conference for corporate and potential clients.
According to Bank Director General Artak Anesyan, the event is held to enable the business segment to get acquainted with the benefits of using solar energy, new trends, solar stations, effective financial schemes and tools, existing experience and get advice on the full process of using solar energy. Anesyan noted that since the beginning of 2019, in the framework of cooperation with the GEFF ("Financing a Green Economy" program), Ameriabank presented solar financing to 30 organizations, and the bank's portfolio in this segment reached 3 billion drams. The program, according to Anesyan, will be continuous.
In turn, the director of Ameriabank CJSC through corporate and investment banking Gagik Sahakyan told reporters that in the future the program will be expanded to cover individuals. In particular, he recalled that the offer on the side of Ameriabank "solar leasing" provides an opportunity for clients to receive cashback in the amount of 20% of the total loan value, as well as unsecured financing, a wide range of cooperation with leading market providers, international funds, the use of other leasing tools and others.
Answering the question of ArmInfo, Sahakyan noted that the bank's portfolio on "solar leasing" is growing dynamically and can reach 5 billion drams by the end of the year. "It is very important for us to stimulate the development of the renewable energy industry. We are trying to form today a platform where suppliers, financial organizations, investors who have numerous proposals will meet, "said Sahakyan.
According to the representative of Ameriabank, three years ago, solar energy was an unpromising area for business due to the high cost of solar panels. "But with the development of technology, there has been a significant reduction in prices, and solar energy has become more attractive not only in developed European countries, but also in developing countries of Eurasia," he added.
Meanwhile, as Sahakyan noted, answering the question of ArmInfo, today, covering the Armenian market with solar energy is at a very low level. However, in this situation, the banker adheres to a positive outlook, since he believes that the sphere is quite promising in Armenia. In this vein, he gave an example with small hydropower plants, which at one time did not have such wide representation in the country as they have today. In turn, the Deputy Head of the GEFF project in Armenia, Andro Butkhuzi, noted that the program funded by the EBRD is aimed at supporting businesses and individuals who are willing to invest in green technologies. Answering the question of ArmInfo, he noted that despite the fact that the project was launched recently, positive trends had already been recorded, in particular, from the point of view of high demand. "Today there is a boom in Armenia in the field of investing in renewable energy sources," he stressed.
According to him, the general fund of the program in Armenia reaches $ 20 million, the term of which is 3- 4 years. At the moment, loans for $ 2-3 million have already been submitted.
Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia Hakob Vardanyan noted on the sidelines of the conference that in 2018 in Armenia, the share of solar energy was only about 0.2% of the total energy produced in the country. By the end of 2020, taking into account all the programs envisaged, the total generation of solar energy in the country is planned to be increased to 2%. In this vein, the deputy minister referred to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC), which gave permission for the construction of solar stations with a total capacity of 100 megawatts, half of which are already licensed. "If the first industrial solar power station Masrik, with a capacity of 55 MW, with a capacity of 120-150 million kW / h of energy, will be commissioned in 2020, the share of solar generation will reach 3%," he concluded.
It should be noted that at the "Sunny Leasing" conference, the head of the leasing operations department of Ameriabank CJSC Zara Bostanjyan made a presentation where she presented the advantages and mechanisms of using solar energy through leasing and other financial instruments, as well as panel discussions with the participation of public and private sectors.