Iraq Looks to Solar Energy To Help Rebuild its Economy

Memmingen, Germany off-grid solar panels could soon be installed in Iraq in a push to supply electricity to people across the country, many of whom have no access to the national grid. Six thousand solar-powered street lamps already light up the streets of Baghdad, electricity conventional sources is available on average for only two hours a day as the country struggles to recover years of war. Thousands more solar street lamps have been ordered this year the German off-grid specialist company Phaesun by the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity.

Matthias Kaiser of Phaesun, a company based in Memmingen that supplies components and technical know-how for off-grid photovoltaic systems, said that the Iraqi government is increasingly exploring the role solar power could play in supplying the population`s future energy needs, especially in rural areas.

"Choosing solar energy has many advantages for Iraq. The country has a large surface area, which is good for setting up solar panels and also plenty of sun and solar radiation. The national grid doesn`t function well and that makes off-grid solar power systems a super solution," Kaiser said.

He said installing off-grid solar technology would speed up the process of supplying reliable and efficient electricity to people across the country, boosting efforts to rebuild Iraq`s economy. "One benefit of installing off-grid solar panels is speed. Large numbers of people can start harnessing the energy within months," he says.

Six engineers  Iraq`s Ministry of Electricity participated in a training course run by Phaesun in Germany early in February to learn how to build and maintain off-grid solar systems, including the solar-powered street lamps for Baghdad that are adapted to the local climate and capable of tolerating large variations in temperature.

“They’ll be able to back to Baghdad and teach colleafues how to build solar powered street lamps and other systems. That can crucial know-how can spead quickly” Matthias Kaiser, Phaesun.

Phaesun, founded in 2001, is active not only in Iraq but also in twenty-five countries in Africa as well as in Latin America, including Panama and Costa Rica.

Kaiser said that there was a growing demand for off-grid solar technology developing countries.

Battered by war, Iraq`s actual electricity production is only about one-third of its installed capacity of 11,000 megawatts. (Source : Internet)