Solar Energy for Low-Carbon Sustainable Lifestyles in Solak, Aygavan and Malishka rural communities of Armenia

The project will strengthen self-supporting communities and provides them with modern mechanisms, ways and opportunities to enhance local initiatives particularly in energy efficiency, climate change and renewable energy. A participatory method will be used for developing and implementing local sustainable development strategies and plans with active involvement of the different stakeholders and the public at large in the local communities. This is an innovative rural development project with low-cost environmentally friendly renewable energy pilots (solar fruit dryers, cooking stoves, water heaters, street lamps). Malishka community will light the intra-streets. Aygevan community will organize solar fruit drying, solar cooking stoves will be introduced for low- income households. Solak and Aygevan village kindergartens will have solar water heaters. The involved communities will benefit from reduced energy costs, improved environment and increased household income.