Context:
Many Armenian municipalities face energy challenges, which include the provision of public services, heating costs for kindergartens, cultural and other public facilities, street lighting and the management of drinking water and wastewater.
High energy prices due to mostly imported fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal or nuclear power are a burden on small businesses and poor households. Some of these homes use wood, dried dung or straw for heating purposes. These practices reduce the capacity of forests and soils to store greenhouse gases and water. The climate resilience of communities is jeopardised by the inefficient use of resources and the potential to reduce emissions remains untapped.
Objective:
Renewable energies are used to provide an affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly energy supply to social institutions, small and medium-sized business and vulnerable households. This advances climate-resilient and resource-efficient development in Armenia.
Approach:
The project:
- Creates conditions that facilitate the use of renewable energies (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) in municipalities
- Expands the capabilities of municipal administrations for RE and EE solutions
- Supports skills development for citizens in the use of RE and EE
To this end, the project is working together with the following stakeholders:
- Ministry for Territorial Administration and Infrastructure
- Rural communities
- Other institutions such as the national Energy Regulatory Authority
- State electricity grid operators
- Funding agency R2E2
- National and local universities
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Funding in the amount of EUR 1,250500,000 has been earmarked for cooperation with national and international NGOs, agencies and other local partners
The project is also being supported by the European Union with a further EUR 6.2 million.