RA energy sector is vulnerable to climate change. RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure has developed the draft resolution of RA Government "On approving the climate change adaptation program in the energy sector and the list of measures for 2023-2027", which is posted on the website www.e-draft.am.
As a result of climate change, the impact of hydrometeorological factors on the energy system is as follows:
• The annual probability of severe meteorological drought will increase from 3% to 80%.
• Solar radiation: changes in humidity and cloudiness.
• Reduction of snow cover: decrease in water availability in summer months, earlier snowmelt.
• Water availability for hydropower production will decrease during the summer.
• Flow of rivers: changes in snowmelt, precipitation and hydrological regime will lead to a decrease in flows in 18 of the RA river basins by 2040, with the trend of further deterioration by 2070.
• Adverse weather events will impact human resources.
According to the document, systematic decisions based on historical climate data are no longer valid because
1. Hydrometeorological data for Armenia are incomplete,
2. the basic climate parameters for classification of assets are not defined in the field,
3. assets and their technical characteristics are inconsistently inventoried,
4. By 2040, large parts of the energy system will have extremely high levels of climate risk,
5. Ensuring the minimum energy load by 2040 is highly risky,
6. Climate impacts will increase after 2040.
7. Continued dependence on hydropower is extremely problematic considering other existing demands for water (eg, agriculture, drinking water supply).
Increasing the adaptability and resilience of Armenia's energy system to the aforementioned threats will require many scientific research, legislative, technical-normative, investment, planning and awareness activities. These actions must be harmonized and integrated with policy and program initiatives regulating the energy sector.
For the period of 2023-2027, 13 measures worth AMD 737,000,000 have been planned to increase the energy sector's adaptation to climate change. Those are the events:
1. Updating of climate maps,
2. Development of a complex program for modernization of energy structures and infrastructure adaptation,
3. Reflection of climate challenges in the strategic planning programs of the energy system,
4. Increasing the resistance of the distribution network and overhead power lines in the Armenian electrical grids,
5. Development of engineering and technical solutions for increasing the efficiency of the cooling system of ANPP,
6. Assessment of the feasibility of building solar photovoltaic plants on reservoirs and derivation systems of large HPPs with the aim of reducing evaporation and increasing energy production,
7. Adaptability of the placement of small hydropower plants,
8. Consideration of options for improving the efficiency of cooling systems of thermal power plants,
9. Adaptation measures in natural gas transmission and distribution systems,
10. Definition and implementation of national standards for the design, construction and technical control of renewable energy resource power plants,
11. Replacement of 20% of cooling, heating and refrigerating equipment in the household and service sectors with more efficient alternatives,
12. Promotion of distributed energy generating substructures powered by renewable energy resources as an alternative to charging electric vehicles,
13. Legal definition of the concept of energy poverty, inclusion of legal provisions in legal documents, definition of defining indicators.
February 10, 2023 at 14:47