How many solar homes are there in Mongolia?

Over 67,000 solar home systems were sold between 2006 and 2012, reaching herders in every aimag (province) in the country. As a result, more than half a million people covering between 60-70 percent of Mongolia’s nomadic herders now have access to electricity.

How did solar power help Mongolia's Nomadic herders?

The change in herders' life between then and now is like night and day ," said Herder Baatar Khandaa. The project helped the Government of Mongolia provide over half a million nomadic herders with access to electricity through portable solar home systems.

When did Mongolia start a solar GER electrification program?

In 2000, the Government of Mongolia began the National 100,000 Solar Ger (Yurt) Electrification Program. The program provided photovoltaic solar home systems that were portable in design, making the systems adaptable to the nomadic lifestyle of herders and complementing their traditional way of life.

When were solar home systems available in Mongolia?

Solar home systems were for sale in Mongolia by 1992, and perhaps earlier. Many of these systems were donated to Mongolia. For example in one early donation, between 1992 and 1996 Japan provided 200 solar power generators to herding families.

How much does Mongolia's solar energy project cost?

It builds upon the success of the SHS systems and plans $54.4 million USD for supplying nine of the country’s provinces with energy grids, and installing Mongolia’s first large-scale build photovoltaic solar energy (PV) plant. Note that this system would not be mobile, but rather a large solar farm in the Gobi.

Can solar panels be used in Mongolia?

Mongolia’s unique environment is perfectly situated for the use of solar panels. Mongolia has a dry climate, with long, cold but sunny winters, dry hot summers, low precipitation, and large temperature fluctuations. It is estimated that the country has 260 sunny days (Fassnacht et al., 2011) or 2791.5 hours of sunshine per year.