After Armenia became independent I worked there on an emergency programme to revamp the entire energy system, including making energy efficiency a priority. We worked with up to four hours of electricity a day in unheated offices and horrendous conditions. The number of people dying from cold was staggering. It was discouraging to read this article by Sara Khojoyan in ArmeniaNow about the low priority for energy-saving technologies. If there was one country that needed them, Armenia certainly qualifies.
Cost of Power: Energy-saving technologies still unpopular in Armenia despite hike in utility tariffs
While in the modern-day world environmentalists encourage and promote energy saving technologies as the best means of protecting the environment, people in Armenia are still learning to save energy to confront the difficult social conditions aggravated by periodically raised tariffs for electricity and natural gas.
However, most residents in Armenia seem to be in no hurry to look out for ways to save energy. Residents of Yerevan, for example, mostly do not pay attention to the power characteristics of appliances they purchase at stores, a small unscientific survey conducted by ArmeniaNow has revealed.
Knarik Sargsyan, a 23-year-old manicurist, for example, believes that energy-saving equipment makes no real difference. While Anahit Harutyunyan, a 64-year-old pensioner, even without trying, believes that energy-saving lamps spread toxic chemicals when they burst.
Sociologist Aharon Adibekyan says his surveys have also revealed a similar picture. Gauging the possible demand for offers made from the Netherlands and Israel, he conducted surveys in a number of sunny regions of Armenia to see to what extent people are willing to invest in solar energy systems.
“The matter concerns two options – one is just having hot water even in winter and the other is to have electricity, perhaps not high-amperage electricity, for example for a TV-set or a computer,” Adibekyan told ArmeniaNow.
“In Ashtarak, Artashat and Abovyan only two out of a hundred respondents expressed a desire to buy such a system. Armenians are a little down-to-earth people, they do not believe in the efficiency of a novelty and, therefore, they are not ready to purchase it. It is possible that if prices keep rising to the extent that they won’t be able to afford it, they will start considering energy saving options,” the leading pollster added.
Adibekyan believes that energy saving should become a culture, for which a corresponding policy needs to be carried out. He said that, for example, buildings in Armenia are not properly insulated, while in Europe they pay great attention to it.
“One should start teaching children at schools how to use all these resources sparingly as these resources are getting fewer and more expensive in Armenia,” he said.
Energy-saving culture in Armenia is much more topical now than one would think, as beginning on August 1 electric power prices will be raised by 10 percent. As the Public Services Regulatory Commission explained, energy companies have a financial gap of 17.5 billion drams (about $44 million) that needs to be bridged and the rise in electricity tariffs pursues this very goal.
Energy prices were also increased last year and then well-known Armenian businessman Khachatur Sukiasyan already addressed the issue of energy-saving technologies. He, in particular, stressed that prices for fuel and energy resources tended to increase in the international market and avoiding it for a long time would not be possible for Armenia.
He said that energy saving should begin with energy audits. “I am convinced that such an audit will help establish the fact that Armenia is one of the richest countries in the world if it can afford to waste so much energy in domestic life and in economic sectors,” Sukiasyan said ironically.
The businessman attached importance to considering the world’s best experience and using lighting systems that allow reducing energy consumption 3 to 7 times. While switching to such systems is more effective in the long term, in the initial period it is more costly. The entrepreneur believes that in this matter “the government should develop different mechanisms of incentives.”
Some banks also try to contribute to the establishment of energy-saving industries and society in general in Armenia by providing loans to enterprises working on alternative energy sources and to individuals who want to purchase energy-saving equipment.
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 
Somehow I think that , other than on this website, this headline might be regarded as the most archetypical non – newsworthy headline….
The advantage is that it is on this website. In itself it isn’t newsworthy. I agree. But it is sad to see a country that so desperately needs to give energy efficiency a priority having results like this. The days of waking up in a room with the temperature at 6 degrees celsius and no hot water are over, but the country has no significant domestic resources (other than potential solar) and it is sad to see how they continue with such old fashioned approaches. OECD countries were giving a significant amount for aid projects. The UN, EBRD and World Bank are there. And yet there is no change in attitudes. Yes, it is not newsworthy in and of itself but there is more to it than meets the eye. And it is not only Armenia.