Mongolia will hold the 9th National Renewable Energy Forum in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, on 24 May.  This year’s forum is expected to cover topics such as establishing an independent grid in remote areas, the current ‘on grid’ renewable energy situation, opportunities for reducing air pollution using renewable energy in urban areas.Currently, the number of attendees of this year’s forum has reached 600.

Mongolia has enormous potential for the development of renewable energy. The Northeast Asian country with a population of just over three million enjoys more than 250 days of sunshine a year.

The country’s renewable capacity nearly doubled last year, reaching 155 MW, according to data from the Ministry of Energy. Mongolia installed its first large solar power plant, with a capacity of 10 MW, in Darkhan-Uul province, in the north of the county, in January 2017. Its second wind farm, the 50 MW Tsetsii Wind Farm, also opened in October of that year.

Mongolia seeks to provide sufficient heat and electricity to its population, especially in rural areas, and renewable energy projects are seen as a possible solution.According to Mongolia’s Ministry of Energy, the country has a potential wind capacity of 1,100 GW.