Low-Carbon Energy in Armenia: Prospects & Nuances
This article discusses the challenges of transitioning to low-carbon energy from an economic point of view, using the Armenian context for illustrations and examples. It draws attention to the varying nature of the costs and benefits that low-carbon energy sources can provide, depending on the particular contexts, systems, and extent to which a given source is utilized. Social, environmental, and system costs are discussed, among others. The article rejects the categorical designation of different energy sources (e.g. solar, wind, hydropower) as good or bad, encouraging rather to look at them incrementally. Separate attention is given to nuclear power as a special case. While the article does mention certain quantitative estimates of renewable energy potential from the existing literature, its main focus is on formulating the economic approach to the issue.
The Content of the article is the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Heinrich Boell Foundation Tbilisi Office - South Caucasus Region.
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Table of contents
- INTRODUCTION - 5
- LOW CARBON AND SECURITY - 7
2.1 Where Armenia gets its enetgy – 7
2.2 Contribution of renewables to the energy security of Armenia – 9 - COSTS OF LOW-CARBON SOURCES – 13
3.1 Levelized cost – 13
3.2 Environmental costs – 14
3.3 System costs – 15
3.4 More jobs from renewables – good news? – 17 - NUCLEAR POWER – 19
4.1 The role of nuclear power in Armenia’s energy security – 19
4.2 Small modular reactors – 21 - CONCLUSION – 23