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Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets and its General Partner VivaCell-MTS will mark the conclusion and present the results of yet another project implemented within the framework of the Joint Alternative Energy Project. This initiative included the installation of a solar water heating system in the kindergarten in the border village Vahan, Gegharkunik region. The implementation was supervised by VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian, founder of FPWC Ruben Khachatryan, head of Vahan community Gurgen Balian, and the community residents, the press service of VivaCell-MTS reported.

“The name of this village (vahan is the Armenian for shield) corresponds to the location of the borderland village and the heroism of its inhabitants. Vahan is the north-eastern shield of Armenia. The commitment of keeping far-reaching villages in the focus of VivaCell-MTS’ attention has a special place in the strategy of the Company. The solar thermal system installed in the village is not only a convenient approach to heating, but also beneficial from economical point of view as a cost-efficient solution. Projects of this kind are also justified from the environmental perspective. I am glad that we manage to ease the social burden of our compatriots,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian commented.

Vahan community, which has a 28km border with Azerbaijan, has 1,228 inhabitants. Its two-story kindergarten was built in the late 60s and currently houses 42 children and eleven employees.

The system implemented within the Alternative Energy Project has been connected to the kindergarten’s heating and hot water system, through which the kindergarten is able to receive heat and hot water free of cost during the day. Given that the kindergarten only works during daytime and at night only heating needs to be provided so that the system does not freeze, there is up to 60% saving on gas consumption.

The heating system includes 6 solar water heating collectors, each of which comes with 30 vacuum tubes (total 180 vacuum tubes). The vacuum pipes have a diameter of 70mm, which are the largest and the most effective ones in Armenia (until now only 58mm pipes have been used in Armenia). The length of each pipe is 2.1m. The system has double coils water tank with a 500 liter capacity and a pump station with controller. The solar water heating system installed in the kindergarten is energy efficient and environmentally friendly as it reduces water heating costs by 100% in the summer and up to 50-60% in the winter.