AUA Acopian Center Hosts Discussion on Advancing Battery Storage

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YEREVAN, Armenia — On March 5, an in-depth discussion on “Battery Storage Solutions Development in Armenia” took place at the American University of Armenia (AUA). The event was co-hosted by STREACS (Strengthening Research in Armenia for Energy Transition toward Climate Solutions), an EU-funded project led by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, in partnership with R2E2 and the World Bank.

Energy storage, including behind-the-meter small-scale energy storage, is essential for mitigating renewable energy’s (RE) intermittency, strengthening Armenia’s energy security, optimizing grid flexibility, and reducing dependencies. 

The objective of the discussion was to foster dialogue and collaboration among key experts and stakeholders about the role of battery energy storage systems in Armenia’s sustainable energy strategy.

Welcome addresses were delivered by Frank Hess, head of cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia; Alen Gasparian Amirkhanian, director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment; Katharina Gassner, senior Energy Economist from the World Bank; and Karen Asatryan, director of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund (R2E2).

In his address, Hess welcomed the discussion participants and stressed the importance of renewable energy in the clean development of the energy sector in Armenia. Amirkhanian highlighted the efforts of all organizations involved in preparing the discussion and expressed hope that it would serve as a starting point for the legal drafting, organizational, and technological actions needed to prepare for the deployment of BESS in the Armenian power grid. In her remarks, Gassner underscored that an HVDC back-to-back link on the Armenian side to connect Armenia’s planned 400 kV network with Georgia’s existing 500 kV network, is an integral part of Armenia’s overall strategic vision. Asatryan, reiterated that the development of RE technologies in Armenia has no alternatives. In this regard, R2E2 is entrusted with reviewing and promoting innovative technologies while supporting RE use in Armenia. 

In her opening remarks, Natalya Klimenko Rabia, team leader of the Technical assistance to the R2E2 Project, discussed the factors enabling the flexibility of a Clean Power System and, in particular, the benefits of BESS. She presented the battery storage deployment and the relevant support schemes implemented in the EU.

The event featured panel discussions and presentations on “Battery Storage Technologies, Economic Viability, and Financing” and “Legal, Regulatory, Technological, and Environmental Considerations.” These sessions brought together industry experts, international energy consultants, and representatives from both public and private sectors, including the Public Services Regulatory Commission, the World Bank, Shtigen LLC, and members of the scientific community. 

Key presenters included: 

• Claudio Protano, an energy specialist at the World Bank, who presented the results of the study on the economic viability of Utility-Scale battery storage in Armenia. 
• Daniel Sosa Marquina from the German Economics team, who presented the results of modeling optimal battery energy storage deployment in Armenia.
• Arsen Hayriyan, an energy expert, who presented Armenia’s policy and regulatory landscape for energy storage. 
• Vrezh Hayrapetyan from the Scientific Research Institute of Energy and a STREACS project partner, who briefly presented various technologies for energy accumulation. 
• Tigran Gnuni from the Scientific Research Institute of Energy and a STREACS project partner, who presented problems related to the operation of solar plus storage systems.
• Hayk Akarmazyan, department head of Chemical Technologies, Environmental Protection, and Life Safety at National Polytechnic University of Armenia and a STREACS project partner, explored the necessity of battery collection and recycling and how it can be organized. 
• Mariam Momjyan, head of the Tariff Division of the Tariff Policy Department at PSRC, who explained that battery storage technology is regulated using the same toolkit as that applied to the “autonomous” producers. 

Participants engaged in discussions on financing mechanisms to accelerate the adoption of energy storage systems in Armenia. The discussion emphasized the importance of coordination between policymakers, financial institutions, and the private sector to facilitate BESS deployment.

The event concluded with a call for enhanced cooperation across technical, financial, and policy domains to accelerate Armenia’s transition to a flexible and resilient energy system.

The event recording and agenda are available online. 

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity protection and conservation, greening the built environment, sustainable energy, as well as information technology and the environment. Visit http://ace.aua.am.

STREACS (Strengthening Research in Armenia for Energy Transition toward Climate Solutions) is a 36-month EU Horizon Europe-funded project uniting six research institutions and one private company from Armenia, Italy, and Ireland. The initiative aims to bolster Armenia’s research capacity in the evolving field of energy transition. For additional information and updates on STREACS, please visit the project webpage.