How can Mongolia tackle its energy and economic security concerns?

Notably, Mongolia can tackle both its energy and economic security concerns with one approach. Mongolia has the potential to sustain its domestic electricity demand through renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro.

How does Mongolia's power-to-gas system work?

The power-to-gas system allows Mongolian wind farms to productively use their excess wind generation at night, reducing their curtailment rates and incentivizing construction of more wind farms and power-to-gas facilities. Ulaanbaatar’s grid decarbonizes rapidly.

Is Mongolia a coal-fired country?

Mongolia’s electricity and heating production is overwhelmingly based on coal-fired thermal power plants, according to the Ministry of Energy. As of 2018, the Energy Regulatory Commission reported that close to 93 percent of Mongolia’s power plants were coal-fired, while only 7 percent generated renewable energy.

Can Mongolia's Energy Security be separated from broader concerns?

Here again, Mongolia’s energy security cannot be separated from broader concerns. Telmen Altanshagai is a graduate student at the School of International Service, American University in Washington D.C. completing her master’s degree in Global Governance, Politics, and Security. Ms.

Does Mongolia have a good energy policy?

A failure to recognize the impact of mineral resources such as coal and copper on Mongolia’s energy policy is deeply flawed and potentially dangerous. According to data from the Mongolian National Statistics Office, last year 86 percent of the country’s exports were raw materials, including coal, copper concentrate, and gold.

Why is Mongolia unable to finance renewable power projects?

Partly, this has to do with the government’s failure to honor past renewable Power Purchase Agreements, which has raised the cost of borrowing from international lenders and banks due to perceived country risk. Mongolian banks, meanwhile, lack the capital to finance these projects.