Armenia Inaugurates First Floating Photovoltaics in the Region

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS) — The first floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) system in the region was inaugurated on September 13 on Lake Yerevan in the Armenian capital.

The test variant has a capacity of 150 KW.

The project was developed by the Armenia Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund and the French NEPSEN and as a result the 800,000 euro grant was approved by the French government.

Armenia Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Tigran Avinyan hailed the station as ‘unique.’

“We’ve been developing solar energy with small steps since 2018 and I think that over time these steps became more and more bigger, and we significantly surpassed our own strategy. Hundreds of solar power stations are already functioning in Armenia and we have an agreement on building a 200 MW solar power station with Masdar,” Avinyan said at the inauguration of the floating photovoltaics.

Avinyan said that Yerevan is getting ready to entirely switch to the consumption of green energy.

French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies was also in attendance at the opening ceremony.

“This project contributes to Armenia’s energy transformation, Armenia’s energy independence. The project also marks the success of the Armenian-French cooperation,” he said, expressing certainty that success will be achieved through joint work. “And this is just the beginning,” he added.

An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) has been conducted in the area and it found that no significant impacts will emerge during the construction and operation of the station.

The station was built by Optimum Energy, who had won a tender for the construction.