This archive report was first published on 4 July 2021.
Amid the ongoing conflict in Syria, residents in rebel-held areas are increasingly turning to solar power as a reliable alternative to diesel generators.
According to Khaled Mustafa, a farmer in the Idlib region, the decision to switch to solar power was driven by the struggles of relying on diesel-powered generators, which were often affected by fuel shortages and price hikes.
Mustafa, one of dozens of farmers who have set up solar panels in the Idlib region, noted that the panels have become a common sight in the area, installed on roofs, in hospitals, and even between tents in massive displacement camps.
With regular fuel shortages sending prices soaring, solar panels are now viewed as a cheaper, more efficient, and reliable alternative.
Workers unload solar panels from a truck in Dana, Syria, which provide power in areas without state-provided electricity.
Mustafa's plot features solar panels hooked to rotating metal plates that turn to follow the movement of the sun, powering water pumps from a well and irrigating three hectares of cooperative farmland, as well as neighboring fields.
The panels, which were purchased two years ago by an agricultural cooperative of nearly 20 farmers, cost around $4,000 and power 200 solar panels.
According to the United Nations' Development Programme (UNDP), at least 90 percent of Syrians lack a stable power supply, and solar panels are one solution.
UNDP noted that since armed clashes have decreased, and most of the country is in a more stable situation, solar energy production has spiked as a valid alternative.
In regime-controlled areas, solar panels provide power for both homes and public institutions like universities.
However, in rebel-held areas, a survey found that only eight percent of people used solar as the main source of power in their homes, although a tenth of people used solar for heating water, and a third of people used solar as a secondary source of power.
Abdulhakim Abdul Rahman, a solar panel salesman, noted that sales increased by 300 percent between 2018 and 2021, with farmers accounting for most of his clients.
Abdul Rahman also mentioned that the panels he imports can last up to 20 years and are often used in agricultural projects, which can require up to 500 panels.
Residents in rebel-held areas, such as Zakariya Sinno, have also installed solar panels on their roofs, which provide enough power to run appliances like refrigerators and washing machines.
Even hospitals have installed solar panels, with the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations (UOSSM) launching its 'Syria Solar' initiative in 2017 to introduce renewable power for Idlib's hospitals.
The initiative has installed 480 panels in one general hospital and 300 others in a separate orthopaedic facility, and has also helped more than 40 other clinics in Idlib and northern Aleppo with technical assistance.
