Four renewable energy power plants are expected to begin operation in Mongolia’s southeast province of Dornogovi by the end of the year. The power plants will provide a total of 120 megawatts (MW) to the homes of the southern province.

On Friday, 15 MW solar power plant opened in the Zamiin-Uud soum in Dornogovi Province. Two more solar power plants with the capacity of producing 30 MW and 20 MW of electricity will begin operation by the end of this year in the same province. In addition, a 55 MW wind farm is planned for commission  in late 2018 in the nearby provincial capital of  Sainshand.

Mongolia enjoys more than 250 days of sunshine a year. The country’s renewable energy capacity nearly doubled last year, reaching 155 MW.

Mongolia’s first large solar power plant, with a capacity of 10 MW, was installed in the country’s northern province of Darkhan-Uul in January 2017. The country’s second wind farm, the 50 MW Tsetsii Wind Farm, also opened in October last year.

Currently, Mongolia gets less than 5 percent of its power from renewable energy, including solar and wind. However, things are changing rapidly: the government aims to make renewable energy use account for 20 percent by 2020 and 30 percent by 2030. According to Mongolia’s Ministry of Energy, the country has a potential wind capacity of 1,100 gigawatts.