ARMENIA TURNS TO GEOTHERMAL FOR ELECTRICITY
ADP News Renewable Energy Track
May 3, 2010 Monday 1:32 PM EEST
(ADPnews) – May 3, 2010 – After evaluating its geothermal potential,
Armenia intends to start utilising the hot spring resources for
producing clean electricity, Armen Movsisyan, the Armenian energy
minister, announced last week.
Besides nuclear power, the landlocked Eurasian state that has no oil
or gas reserves is turning its focus on renewable energy sources.
In 2009, the country received a USD 1.5 million (EUR 1.1m) grant
for technical assistance with geothermal energy development from
the World Bank. The latter extended the funding under its USD 25
million eight-year GeoFund programme, which was introduced to promote
geothermal power in eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Almost a decade before, Yerevan ordered local utilities to purchase
all electricity generated from renewable sources in Armenia for
the following 15 years. The move was aimed at accelerating green
power development ahead of the scheduled 2016 shutdown of the ageing
nuclear plant.
In 2003, the government asked for extensive field surveys at geothermal
site Jermaghbyur. With the help of an investigation of the 19 mining
companies operating in the region, the researchers have revealed the
site’s potential of 25 MW that can be unwrapped at the cost of USD
39.1 million.