UNDP: Green Technologies Embracing Our Villages

Buazhar Kochkonbaeva, Secondary school principal of Shoro-Bashat village in Uzgen district, Osh oblast explains how energy efficiency can change people's lives and help them grow professionally.

‘We wanted to have hot water in our school, but everything turned out to be much more interesting than we expected. With the installation of a new equipment which provides our school with hot water from the solar energy we learned useful information about the green technologies’, says Buazhar with enthusiasm.

In 2016 within the framework of the UNDP programme "Integrated Development of Osh oblast" funded by the Russian Federation and introduction of the "Green Village" initiative in Tort-Kol ayil aimak experts in the field of RES selected four project proposals for integration of energy-efficient technologies at the sites of social infrastructure, including a project proposal for the installation of a solar water heating system for the public school named after T. Asranov, which allows to supply school with hot water. This project was selected on a competitive basis and co-financed by LSG.

‘We were always encouraged to save water and electricity; however, I did not pay much attention to the concepts of "energy saving" or "energy efficiency". It seemed to me that these concepts are not feasible in the rural environment’, says the School principal. ‘To be honest I wasn’t an economizer. We get used to ignoring important things around us. Now we have installed a valve to the school pump where we had water running constantly. We train kids not to waste water while cleaning teeth etc. Next steps for integration of green economy principles will be the installation of LED lighting in our classrooms, which is a number one priority’, shares with her plans Buazhar.

At the same time, we conducted seminars about the importance of RES and its further promotion. ‘Our staff now lives a different life. And I'm sure that they think differently. We conducted special sessions on RES in all classes. Moreover, our teachers who were trained integrate RES aspects of energy saving in their curricular explaining kids about complex aspects of energy saving and foster environment friendliness and think and find alternative sources of energy’.

Staff and students of the school were trained how to use RES in the village and operate the new installation. ‘Initially I thought that the main goal of the project was the installation of the water heating solar system itself. Then I realized that education plays a key role in the promotion of green technologies. Implementing the principles of the "green village" initiative on the ground is as important as changing the attitude of people: teachers, pupils, parents and local authorities’, says Buazhar.

Today the whole village of Shoro-Bashat, not only the school is embraced with ideas of a "green" way of life. Last year local authorities implemented several projects to integrate renewable energy sources in other social infrastructure sites, including the installation of a solar water heating system and LED lighting in “Aruu-Sezim” kindergarten and installation of street lightning with LED lamps and light sensors. In addition, in the nearest future in the village of Shoro-Bashat small businesses will start operating with the implementation of renewable energy sources: biogas equipment, solar greenhouses, and a solar dryer.

Integration of the Green Village initiative in the pilot villages of Osh oblast is carried out within the framework of the UNDP program "Integrated Development of Osh Oblast" funded by the Russian Federation. We hope that the successful experience of the Programme will inspire to continue introducing renewable energy sources in other villages throughout the country.

Key Facts

Five villages from three municipalities of Osh oblast have been selected for the practical implementation of the "green village" initiative: International village in Nookat district; Shoro-Bashat village and Makarenko village in Uzgen district; Kayin-Talaa village in Kara-Kulzha district

Six business sites and eight social infrastructure facilities have been selected for practical implementation of RES in the villages with UNDP contribution of 160,000 USD. These projects include LED street lightning, a hydraulic ram to provide the population with water, a solar water heating system in schools and local walk-in clinics, solar greenhouses, solar dryers for vegetables and fruits, biogas installation, etc.

The solar water heating system installed in the public school after T. Asranov is an active solar vacuum water-heating split-system of high pressure, which allows getting hot water during throughout a year, regardless of the weather conditions. Setting a nominal volume of 300 liters will allow receiving up to 600 liters of hot water per day heated up to 65 °C. The system is completely environment-friendly. In addition, this project contributed to improving the sanitary and hygienic conditions in the public school, reducing incidents of infectious diseases among students, and reduced expenses of the local self-government for electricity.