Improve the quality of life of ger area residents by supporting their transition to renewable energy
Timeline
2022 - Present
Coal to Solar
Why?
GerHub believes that tackling air pollution requires a comprehensive approach that moves away from fossil fuels altogether. With this belief, GerHub is partnering with the climate tech start-up URECA on the “Coal-to-Solar” initiative.
Partners
URECA
The Asia Foundation
UNDP
Municipality of Ulaanbaatar
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia
Location
Sukhbaatar, Songinokhairkhan and Chilgeltei Districts, Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet
The project aims to transition ger-area households from coal-burning stoves to electric heaters using solar energy.
GerHub led the initiative in household selection, providing households with low-cost ger insulation and supporting them with the knowledge and skills needed to improve their livelihoods and transition to renewable energy. GerHub’s role includes selecting households for the program, providing low-cost ger insulation, and equipping residents with the knowledge to adopt renewable energy solutions and improve their living conditions.
Programs
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Household selection
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Community engagement and behavioral change workshops
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Ger Insulation
Impact
In 2023, the three pilot project participant households have either stopped or reduced their coal consumption by at least 50 percent. Remarkably, one ger-household removed their chimney and successfully passed the winter without burning any coal. The remaining two ger-households only used coal on the coldest days, occasionally supplementing their electric heaters. By 2024, the Coal-to-Solar initiative had successfully scaled up with the support of development organizations, government and municipalities and onboarded over 80 households in Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet to renewable energy solutions.
Households’ average monthly costs of electricity and fuel were reduced by
50%
from
140,000 MNT.
By 2024, the Coal-to-Solar initiative had successfully scaled up with the support of development organizations, government and municipalities and onboarded over 80 households in Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet to renewable energy solutions.
Project closing event and family day December 15, 2024
When we used to burn coal, the temperature was inconsistent—sometimes warm, sometimes cold. After insulating our ger with low-cost GerHub insulation and switching to an electric heater, one of the biggest improvements in our daily life has been the consistent heating during the cold winter months. This has greatly enhanced our quality of life. Participating in this project has given us the opportunity to raise our children in a coal-free, healthy environment.”
Kh. Batnasan,
Project participant