Project Detail

Demonstration of firewood saving, energy efficiency and alternative energy options in rural communities of Lori, Shirak, and Aragatsotn regions

In rural Armenia the majority of households rely on firewood as primary source of energy, using traditional inefficient heating systems (woodstoves) that puts additional pressure on forest resources. The proposed project will demonstrate a set of firewood saving technologies, such as Heat Exchangers (HE) and solar thermal systems in select rural communities of Shirak, Lori and Aragatsotn regions, where wood is largely used for household heating. The solar thermal systems will be installed in kindergartens to demonstrate the use of renewable energy, which can be successfully replicated in households, contributing to the reduction of firewood consumption.
The project will also demonstrate energy efficiency measures in buildings through insulation of walls, roofs and windows of the buildings, or construction of tambours at the buildings to prevent the direct inflow of cold air. It is envisaged that the beneficiary households will share the costs of the HEs while the municipalities will partially cover the cost of thermal insulation of the kindergarten buildings and the solar thermal systems.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Environmental Sustainability Assistance Center NGO

Country:

Armenia

Area Of Work:

Climate Change Mitigation

Operational Phase:

OP6 - Y5 (Jul 19-Jun 20)

Grant Amount:

US$ 24,560.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 2,200.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 5,540.00

Project Number:

ARM/SGP/OP6/Y5/STAR/CC/19/32

Start Date:

12/2019

End Date:

6/2021

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Project sustainability

Due to conducted awareness raising and capacity building activities, the project beneficiaries will be able to share their experience on application of HEs and disseminate information on energy efficient solutions among other community members. Taking into account the fact that the target communities have no natural gas supply system and are located at the altitude of over 2000 m above sea level, it is most likely that the introduced low carbon technologies combined with EE measures will be interested in sustaining the project results and replicating in their own households.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

It is planned to carry out awareness raising activities on energy conservation, use of renewable and climate change issues in all target communities. Announcements on upcoming meetings, discussions or trainings will be posted the municipalities, schools, cultural centers, to ensure wider involvement of the community members. Moreover, information on project will be disseminated through regional mass media (TV and newspapers).

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

N/A

Linkages gef projects

N/A

Planning gef grant

N/A

Planning non gef grant

N/A

Policy Influence

N/A

Capacity - Building Component

Prior to the distribution of the appliances, an initial training will be conducted for 420 beneficiary households and administrations of 10 beneficiary kindergartens on the use of HEs ad solar thermal systems. In parallel, the project experts will conduct trainings for 100 community members on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Necessary awareness raising materials such as safe maintenance of the HE and operation of solar thermal systems, cost effective thermal insulation of the buildings and others will be distributed.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The Project will focus on the capacity building of community-level stakeholders to safely and efficiently use and manage the heat exchangers and solar water heaters. The project will as well conduct capacity building of community level stakeholders in thermal insulation of buildings. The project results, experience and lessons learnt will be shared with stakeholders at regional level (Aragatsotn, Lori and Shirak regional authorities, rural communities, Local Self Governance Bodies) and national level (Ministries of Environment, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, local and international organizations etc.) through Project reports, public events and media. 100 adults of the target communities will be trained on energy conservation, solar energy use technologies and raise their awareness about climate change.

Notable Community Participation

The facilitators of ESAC NGO will promote participation of youth in all social events, including basic trainings, surveys and focus group discussions. Trainings on firewood saving and energy efficiency measures for 100 youth from the beneficiary communities will be conducted. The trained youth will further raise awareness of the population on energy efficiency as well as have the opportunity to participate in ongoing monitoring of the HE performance.

Policy Impact

The project aims to demonstrate energy efficient, alternative energy and firewood saving technologies and techniques which will lead to less demand for firewood, and thus less pressure on the forest ecosystems and less CO2 emissions. The project is in line with the SGP Country Programme ?Climate Change? Thematic/Focal Area and ?Low Carbon Energy Access Co-benefits? SGP OP6 Strategic Initiatives.

Replication of project activities

The results of the demonstration and piloting activities planned by the project are quite vivid and thus easy to replicate. Using heat exchangers, solar water heaters and application of thermal insulation of the buildings will significantly mitigate the financial burden of the rural households and improve their livelihoods. Taking into consideration that the issues addressed by the project are typical for rural communities in Armenia and that the project is in line with the national policy processes and strategies in the area of promoting climate change mitigation and development of local capacity in use of low-carbon technologies at community level, it has a good potential for replication.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The results of the research within the planning grant received in 2019 proved that HEs installed at the traditional stoves, increase their energy efficiency due to effective transfer of the heat. Moreover, installation of solar thermal systems as an alternative energy source will ensure hot water supply in 10 kindergartens. Taking into account the fact that the lifesycle of the HE is 3-5 years and that of the solar thermal systems is 7-10 years, the payback period in the case of the HE will make up 1 year, and in case of solar thermal system - 2-3 years. The project will also demonstrate such EE measures as thermal insulation of walls, roofs, replacement of windows, or construction of tambours, which will result in energy savings and cost reductions.

Gender Focus

The selection of the beneficiary households will be implemented jointly with the local administrations. Energy conservation and solar energy use technologies introduced by the project in the community households and social buildings will equally improve wellbeing of women and men. It is planned to ensure participation of both men and women in different stages of the project, including participatory planning of the project activities, capacity building initiatives, ongoing surveys, monitoring and evaluation initiatives, public reporting of the project findings. The facilitators of ESAC NGO will promote the participation of women in all social events, including basic trainings, surveys and focus group discussions.

Project Results

The project will produce the following outputs:
? About 350 sq/m firewood saved annually in project households due to use of HEs, resulting in decrease of pressure on forests and emissions of CO2,
? 220 households decreased consumption of firewood by 20-25% due to application of HEs, resulting in decrease of expenditures.
? Consumption of electricity is decreased by 7000 kw/h in 10 kindergartens due to the application of solar water heaters and thermal insulation.
? 100 adults from Lori, Shirak and Aragatsotn marzses have increased knowledge on firewood saving options, climate change mitigation measures and energy efficiency.

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Indicators

Biophysical

Tonnes of CO2 decreased or avoided by energy efficient and renewable energy technologies or applying environmentally sustainable transport practices introduced by SGP Project 5

Empowerment

Total additional in cash or in kind support obtained for sustaining, up-scaling, and replicating SGP supported project (in US dollars) 7740

Livehood

Number of households who have benefited* from SGP project 400

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