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.

The initiative included the installation of a solar water heating system in the kindergarten in the border village Vahan, Gegharkunik province.

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 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 is also a cost-efficient solution. Projects of this kind are also justified from the environmental perspective,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

Vahan community, which has a 28km border with Azerbaijan, has 1228 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 building will receive heat and hot water free of cost during the day.

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. 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.