Chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia N.Uchral, and his team spent the day today at the Erdenenar solar power plant in Erdene soum, drawing attention to the immense renewable energy potential of the Gobi region. With its vast solar resources, Mongolia is well positioned not only to meet domestic demand, but also to export surplus clean energy to China.

Erdenenar stands as both a success story and a cautionary tale. The project took eight years to complete, yet actual construction lasted only five months. The remaining seven years were lost to permitting and approvals. Despite this, the plant now plays a vital role in regional energy security, at times supplying all of Zamyn-Uud’s electricity on its own.

Energy experts note that eliminating such delays could fundamentally change Mongolia’s energy outlook. With today’s technologies, energy shortages are no longer a technical constraint. Advances in solar and battery systems, improved access to financing, and the ability of storage-supported plants to serve peak demand have made renewable power both reliable and stable. The Erdenenar plant reflects these advances. With a capacity of 30 megawatts and integrated battery storage, it operates independently from the central grid and fully supports Zamyn-Uud soum during outages. Since March 2025, it has covered 134 hours of power disruptions. Built by Mongolian engineers, the facility includes 53,000 solar panels, eight inverter units, and twelve battery storage systems.

Scaling this model to other aimags and soums could significantly strengthen national energy security while reducing dependence on imported electricity. Doing so, however, will require systematic reforms—streamlining regulations, cutting unnecessary procedures, and creating a more supportive legal environment for clean energy investment.

As a country highly vulnerable to climate change and heavily reliant on energy imports, Mongolia faces an urgent need to expand renewable and distributed energy sources. The experience at Erdenenar sends a clear message: when the sun offers its energy so generously, progress should not be slowed by bureaucracy.