Environmental research

Application of renewable energy sources including solar energy is essential for Mongolia as the country possesses potential sources of renewable energy on one hand and on the other it is vast and sparsely populated country. The central grid can not cover each and every community as many of them are semi-nomadic, shifting from one place to another at least twice a year. The Government of Mongolia has being promoting renewable energy application since many years ago by adopting 100,000 solar gers/national houses in 1996 and Law of Renewable Energy in April 2005. Moreover, radio in the countryside is one of the essential information sources. Herders receive a lot of information by listening to radio. But they always face a problem related to batteries and dry cells. The grant is given to a local NGO to implement a "Do-It-Yourself" project among some people to assemble low cost Amorphous Silicon solar panels (one panel costs US $ 2.5 only) for lighting and charging radio and dry cells. The project will also produce one piece of low cost and hand made water-driven electricity generator for supplying several families near a river as an experimental case to address climate change. Over 900 solar panels (15cm x 15 cm) have been assembled by a group of 5 people. They are well trained and skilled in doing such things, and now intend to continue their Do-It-Yourself work by establishing a small enterprise to produce many other renewable energy appliances.

Mongolia