Armenian researcher accuses authorities of preventing solar energy project

According to experts, Armenia has huge solar energy resources. For example,  the annual rate of solar energy collection per 1 square meter of flat surface is 1,720 kWh, while in Europe the average  is 1000 kWh.

Speaking at a news conference Vahan Hamazaspayn said  installation of solar collectors for heating  water on rooftops is the most evident effect of the program..

“Use of  solar energy does not require distribution systems and  therefore there will  be no super-profits, no monopolization of the industry and this is the reason why our project is being so vehemently resisted,”  he said.

A careful study of the problem, according to the researcher, will bring about a fair question: ‘Why in  a country with no shortage of solar energy, the electricity price is so inflated.  He argued that if his project is implemented the cost of electrify will be 0.3 drams per one KWh instead of the current 42 drams.
Hamazaspyan claimed also that a Swiss company is ready to invest as much as $300 million in the development of solar energy in Armenia.

On June 17 Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) raised the prices of electricity by over 16 percent, down from 40 percent rise sought by Armenia’s national Russian owned power distributor company the Electricity Networks of Armenia. 

This decision triggered a civil movement No to Plunder that had been protesting the decision since 19th of June by blocking a central Yerevan street.

On June 26 president Serzh Sargsyan said the government will commission an audit of the company to find out whether the price hike approved by state regulators was economically justified or resulted from alleged corruption and mismanagement. 

The next day Sargsyan said the government will keep the tariffs unchanged for consumers by subsidizing their increased cost at least until the release of findings of the audit. – See more at: http://arka.am/en/news/technology/armenian_researcher_accuses_authorities_of_preventing_solar_energy_project/#sthash.VjKDRDG9.uZV79p1S.dpuf