News

Successful First Roundtable on Solar Energy in Armenia Paves Way for Regional Collaboration

Yerevan, Armenia – June 26, 2024

On June 26, 2024, the first “ENABLING PV in Armenia” Roundtable on Solar Energy and joint projects was held at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA) in Yerevan. The event, organized by eclareon GmbH, NPUA, BSW-Solar, and EUROSOLAR Georgia, brought together key stakeholders in the Armenian solar energy sector.

The “ENABLING PV” project, developed by eclareon and the German Solar Association over ten years ago, aims to promote PV applications in solar energy markets that are still emerging (from a German perspective). Through roundtables, market studies, and pilot projects, the initiative fosters collaboration between local actors, German and local PV companies, and experts from science and education. Since 2020, eclareon has been implementing the programme in Central Asia and the South Caucasus with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office. Armenia has become a target country of the project since beginning of 2024.

The organizers eclareon, BSW-Solar and EUROSOLAR Georgia express their sincere gratitude to NPUA for hosting the event and providing excellent facilities for the roundtable discussions.

The roundtable was moderated by Christoph Urbschat, CEO of eclareon GmbH and ideas into energy gGmbH, who guided the discussions and facilitated productive exchanges among participants. Distinguished speakers included Sargis Asatryants, Vice Rector for Internationalization and Reforms at NPUA; Erik Tintrup, Chargé d’Affaires at the German Embassy in Yerevan; Suren Shatvoryan, Senior Staff Scientist from the Scientific Research Institute of Energy; Hrant Ter-Gabrielyan, Head of Engineering-Technical group from the Armenia Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund, Artur Arzumanyan, Marketing Director at Solaron; Romik Avoyan, Head of the Institute of Energetics and Electrical Engineering from NPUA; and Christian Henschel, Project Manager at GIZ Armenia.

The agenda included important topics such as Armenia’s roadmap to energy independence in 2040, reference projects of the most important renewable energy fund in Armenia, insights from a PV module manufacturer into the Armenian PV market, the NPUA’s “Green University” initiative and the development of PV capacities as part of GIZ’s “Sustainable Energy for Resilience” project.

Several key areas for future cooperation were identified at the roundtable, which led to the agreement to hold a trilateral roundtable with the participation of Germany, Armenia and Georgia during the upcoming regional “ENABLING PV Forum” in Tbilisi on 3 and 4 October 2024. This follow-up event will take place on the afternoon of 4 October, immediately after the conclusion of the conference.

The success of this inaugural roundtable in Armenia marks a significant step forward in regional cooperation on solar energy development. It sets a strong foundation for future collaborations and knowledge exchange in the South Caucasus region.

About the organizers:

eclareon GmbH: A consulting firm with over 20 years of experience in the energy and environmental technology sector, offering holistic approaches and expertise in investment framework conditions for these markets.

National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA): A leading institution in national higher technical education, NPUA is a major scientific and research center for technical sciences, with a rich history dating back to 1933.

BSW-Solar (German Solar Association): Acts as a driving force for accelerated energy transition in Germany, providing policy advice, promoting industry growth, and supporting members in developing new business models in the solar energy sector.

EUROSOLAR Georgia: The Georgian branch of EUROSOLAR, dedicated to advancing renewable energy solutions throughout Georgia, with a focus on harnessing the potential of solar power for a sustainable energy future.

Categories

Latest News