`Solar pathos` turning into source of Armenia`s `energy insecurity` - expert 

ArmInfo. Intensive development of solar energy in Armenia is not a problem in itself, the problem arises when it is done without technical calculation, without a long-term market strategy, says energy expert, Doctor of  Political Sciences Vahe Davtyan.

The expert recalled that the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) of the Republic of Armenia gave the go-ahead for the operation of the industrial solar power plant "Masrik-1". This plant with an installed capacity of 55 MW will join 72 already operating plants. Another 47 are under construction. In case of implementation of all  projects, 119 solar power plants with a total installed capacity of about 557 MW will operate in Armenia.

In these conditions, according to Vahe Davtyan, the "solar pathos" is turning into a source not of energy security, but of "energy insecurity", since arithmetic growth in itself does not guarantee systemic quality.  "Moreover, the expansion of solar energy capacities at such a pace occurs without synchronization of energy subsystems, which creates risks, not stability. It is no coincidence that the recent major power outage in Spain is directly related to such unsystematic integration. 

Almost 2.2 GW of solar energy unexpectedly failed in a matter of seconds, disrupting the operation of the entire energy system in the Iberian Peninsula," the expert emphasized. He also noted that Armenia is now moving according to the same logic. "There is no strategy for accumulating electricity, and synchronization with traditional capacities is practically absent. In recent years, there has been talk of an excess of solar energy, but licensing continues with the same intensity," Vahe Davtyan emphasized.

The day before, the Chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory  Commission Mesrop Mesropyan reported in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia that as a result of the implementation of already approved projects, the number of industrial solar power plants will increase to 119 MW, reaching 577 MW.  Taking into account autonomous solar panels installed on the roofs of houses and enterprises, the  total number of such mini-stations already amounts to 31.2 thousand.

Their total capacity has reached 420 MW and continues to grow - by an average of 15 MW per month. The total volume of solar generation will soon approach the 1 thousand MW mark and will continue to increase.

However, according to experts, such a development of events is fraught with serious problems, since without the presence of  electricity storage systems, the situation can lead to collapse. In addition, in parallel with the development of solar energy, it is very important to prepare the infrastructure, including electrical substations, many of which remain in a worn-out state and require serious investments in their modernization.