Hydro Power in Armenia

[retro]

It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of Armenia's energy system is under Russian control. Armenia has no proven reserves of oil or natural gas and currently imports nearly all of it from Russia. The new Iran-Armenia Natural Gas Pipeline has the capacity to provide twice Armenia's 2008 natural gas consumption. It has the potential to provide energy security for Armenia as an alternative to the Russian-dominated imports that flow through the Georgian border.

Despite a lack of fossil fuel, Armenia has significant domestic electricity generation resources. The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant provides 42.9% of the country's electricity. Armenia has plans to build a new NPP in order to replace the aging Metsamor which was built in 1979. The country also has eleven hydroelectric power plants and has plans to build a geothermal power plant in Syunik.

Wind power in Armenia is underdeveloped and as of 2008, Armenia has only one wind power farm located in the Lori marz. The Armenian and Iranian energy sectors are currently jointly constructing the Iran-Armenia Wind Farm which is set to become the country's largest wind farm.

Armenia is a partner country of the EU INOGATE energy programme, which has four key topics: enhancing energy security, convergence of member state energy markets on the basis of EU internal energy market principles, supporting sustainable energy development, and attracting investment for energy projects of common and regional interest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_Armenia

Hydropower plants have an established capacity of 1,038 MW.

The economically justified hydropower potential of Armenia is around 3.6 GWh/year. From this amount, 1.5 GWh/year (or about 42% of economically justified hydropower potential) has been developed already.

Armenia has 9 hydroelectric power plants which together accounted for 33% of its domestic electricity generation. The plants are grouped along two cascades: the Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade and the Vorotan Cascade. The following table lists the details of each cascade

I think that maybe Armenia should go down the hydro power plant route in terms of expanding/developing it's energy infrastructure. 50% of the US's electricity is generated by hydro and it has by far the most potential of the renewable sources.

[Haykakan]

Re: Hydro Power in Armenia

I think that maybe Armenia should go down the hydro power plant route in terms of expanding/developing it's energy infrastructure. 50% of the US's electricity is generated by hydro and it has by far the most potential of the renewable sources.

Hydro power is available in Hayastan but it is not without bad side effects. Hydropower destroys the ecosystem of the rivers. Unless carefully managed with fish ladders in the right places it may do a lot of damage. Controling the water levels is important to. Out of the renewable sources of energy hydropower may be the least environmentaly friendly source.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Hydro Power in Armenia

50% of the US's electricity is generated by hydro and it has by far the most potential of the renewable sources.

50% Where did you get that crazy figure from? Take the zero off it and you will be correct.

[retro]

Re: Hydro Power in Armenia

50% Where did you get that crazy figure from? Take the zero off it and you will be correct.

It seems that I am mistaken and that now a days the US burns coal like other third world nations.

Hydroelectric power

[Haykakan]

Re: Hydro Power in Armenia

Yeh coal is what idiots burn. Not only does it emmit greenhouse gasses but also contaminates our waters with mercury which is a deadly poisen and makes the fish in the lakes,rivers and oceans contaminated and unsafe to eat. The mercury is everywhere, no water system is safe.

[retro]

Re: Hydro Power in Armenia

Yeh coal is what idiots burn. Not only does it emmit greenhouse gasses but also contaminates our waters with mercury which is a deadly poisen and makes the fish in the lakes,rivers and oceans contaminated and unsafe to eat. The mercury is everywhere, no water system is safe.

China is the the world leader now in Hydro and they are trying hard to move away from coal. Ideally before they choke to death.

Wind turbines and solar power plants are only really supplemental electricity genration sources. Their are large, offshore wind turbines farms in the works here in the UK as we have the windiest country in the EU. However apparently they are only going ahead with this in favour of nuclear, as they are broke.

Hydroelectric and geothermal are the only commercially viable, renewable energy source, that can consistently genrate power at the voltages required for transmission.

France genrates 78.8% of it's electricity from nuclear power and is the world leader. However nuclear is very expensive, not to mention dangerous.

Your Russkie overlords, need to deregulate Armenia's public utilities sector. As if Armenia developed it's hydroelectric resources to there full potential. Then it could support far more industry or earn revenues by exporting excess electricity capacity to it's neighbours.