One shopkeeper uses a single solar panel, mounted to the top of his shop, to power his printer. He runs a small-scale photography studio in the bazaar. Prior to the large-scale solar energy project, electricity was scarce in Nawa. Shop owners had to provide their own generator or solar panel to have electricity. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

A single solar panel is mounted above a shop, a wire runs from the panel into the shop and attaches to a car battery, providing the only source of power for the shopkeeper. The storeowner operates a small photography studio, where he takes photos in his shop and prints them out for his customers.

Situations like this are common for the shopkeepers in Nawa district who do not have a central power source.

Many residents throughout the northern half of Helmand receive their energy from the hydroelectric power plant located at the Kajaki dam. However, the power supply does not reach Nawa, which is located in the southern portion of Helmand province.

Now, with the help of a solar energy project in the district, there is a new opportunity for the shopkeepers in the Nawa bazaar. Nearly 150 shops in the bazaar will be able to receive steady power from the project.

Capt. Brandon Newell, Expeditionary Energy Liaison Officer for Regional Command Southwest and a native of St. Amant, La., says this is the first type of large-scale solar hybrid project in Helmand to date.

“We’re not just trying to introduce something that’s sustainable into their community,” explained Newell who also holds an electrical engineering degree from Louisiana State University. “We’re taking something that they understand at a smaller level and trying to provide them an opportunity at a much larger, more centralized capability, which will be much more reliable.“

Two long rows of solar panels were put together, mounted and welded to the roof of the Nawa district governor’s compound and wires were ran to a large storage container where the power is converted into consumable energy. The energy runs to different meters throughout the bazaar.

Solar panels used to collect energy emitted by the sun are mounted to the roof of the Nawa district governor's compound, Dec. 29. Shop owners in the Nawa bazaar will be able to buy electricity on a pre-paid card for individual consumption in their shops. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

At this point, shop owners can wire the electricity to their individual shops, where they will install a separate meter. The district governor will issue the shopkeepers pre-paid cards that they insert into their specific meter. The amount of wattage that the storeowners buy dictates the amount of electricity that they can use. However, once a certain amount of electricity is bought, there is not a time limit on when they must use the power.

Two local Afghans serve as maintenance operators who are responsible for keeping the system up and running once everything is installed. The money raised from selling the power, pays the operators’ salaries and the left-over money accumulates for later maintenance or expansion.

“We’re not trying to dictate what the end product is for them,” said Newell. “We’re trying to facilitate an opportunity for them to take ownership and run the system, to use it for the benefit of individual shops and the benefit the entire community,”

After walking through the bazaar and talking with the local Afghans, Newell said sewing, lighting and running fans in the summer were common uses for the power.

Once the batteries arrive in Afghanistan, the shop owners will also have the opportunity to stay open later. Because batteries cannot be transported through the Pakistan border, power will only be available during daylight. Once the batteries arrive, they will serve as a storage system for extra power collected during the day that can be used throughout the night.

Sarwar Akbari, a renewable energy engineer who has been working on the project over the past few months, said the project is important because it gives the locals a chance to reasonably use electricity.

“Before they were using generators and single panels,” said Akbari. “The shopkeepers in the bazaar are very poor people. They can’t prepare fuel for the generators and purchase individual panels. They are very happy with us that we are finishing our project and are about to install the meters.”

The project is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.

Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown
DVIDS

Members of the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team inspect the Lahor Dag School, Aug. 12. The school is the next in the province scheduled to open and will be equipped with solar panels for electricity. Photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Lipscomb

Four years ago children sat sprawled on the ground under a tree in the village of Lahor Dag, intently listening to their headmaster in a make shift school. Shortly after, The United Nations Children Fund brought them a tent for a classroom.

Today, the finishing touches are being made on a two-story brick and mortar school that will offer classrooms, furniture, offices and something many of the students do not have at home – electricity.

Lahor Dag is one of 13 schools currently under contract with the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team, each one using solar panels to provide the students with electricity.

“The schools are important to help expose the kids to different kinds of things,” said Brandon Toliver, an engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers, assigned to the Kunar PRT. “For some of these children, the concept of having power where you can just flip the switch is such a fairytale to them it will take something like this, where they can actually see it and say, ‘Wow, so this is what we learned about in science class.’”

Solar Is Cost Efficient
Implementing solar panelled electricity is a cost efficient option in this area. The panels are less expensive to purchase here than in the U.S. and the energy is renewable. Another feasible alternative is to use a generator to provide power for the schools, but with generators, fuel costs and maintenance issues become a problem.

“Electricity is very important in every place [and] without electricity there is no work possible because it is an essential part of life,” said Taj Safi, the head engineer for one of the groups of schools being built, which are categorized as bundles. “In factories, the machines could not run without [having] light, but if we use generators it costs too much and many people could not afford it.”

“Solar panels ended up being an easier solution for everybody,” added Toliver, who is from Pittsburgh, Pa., and graduated from the Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering.

Local Labor Needs Training
Though easier in some ways, installing electricity in a province where many villagers still live by candlelight presents its own unique set of challenges. There are very few electricians here and the contractors who do not already have electrical engineers on staff are required to bring one in.

“The way the contract works is [the construction company] has to use a majority of local labor,” explained Toliver. “So if I own a company and I hire a whole bunch of local laborers who do not have electricity in their homes and have not done any type of real safe wiring before, that’s the biggest challenge. But the reward is to have them be involved; just getting them that knowledge is helping them.”

The electrical laborers get training from both the PRT engineers as well as the site supervisors. The most common issue is the laborers are not used to running their wires through the wall and instead, connect everything directly to the power source. They do not use panel boxes or breakers.

“They’re not really thinking about the overall scheme of things,” said Toliver. “It’s very dangerous.”

Wiring of this kind can often cause fires or get people electrocuted. Another struggle, Toliver explained, is getting the workers to understand that specific wires can only handle a maximum amount of voltage.

The engineers conduct quality assurance and control checks on the schools at a minimum of every three weeks to ensure the projects are built to an acceptable standard so the Afghan people will have a safe and efficient structure. They also supplement their quality checks by reviewing photographs submitted by the contractor.

Lessons Learned
Further challenges are teaching equipment maintenance and the importance of regular upkeep. This was a valuable lesson learned the hard way at the Badad Kalay School where the system ultimately failed because the school maintenance did not know how to sustain the solar panels.

“In addition to proper installation, it is just as vital to properly educate future occupants of the schools about the necessary maintenance of solar panels,” Toliver said. “Fortunately, the knowledge from the Badad Kalay project is being applied to the school bundles to ensure these types of issues are less likely to occur.”

Though the engineers are doing their part to help, they emphasize to the villages that the long term affects of these projects, like the future of Afghanistan, lies in the hands of the Afghan people. The hope is that in the end, the solar paneling techniques the laborers learn will not just illuminate children’s classrooms, but eventually shed light on a whole village.

“After fitting [solar systems] in these schools, the electrical workers will be able to fit these systems in the local sector and utilize the sunlight for electricity and earn more money this way,” said Safi.

In the Lahor Dag School, classes have already started in the building with eager students sitting on the floor, even though the roof has not been finished.

“The children are excited, and as the construction gets closer to being finished it becomes more difficult to keep them away,” said Toliver. “They’re very hungry for knowledge.”

Soon the project will be complete, and 12 more schools are soon to follow. Yet as the engineers continue to rotate in and out, this group will always know they have left a light on for the children of Kunar.

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Story by 1st Lt. Amy Abbott

First Lt. Timothy McCormick, assistant operations officer, Brigade Headquarters Group, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, drinks freshly-purified water with locals. The water was cleaned with the solar-powered water purification system assembled here, Feb. 16. The system cleans out bacteria and diseases in the water, making it safe for locals to drink.

NAW-ABAD, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Marines with Brigade Headquarters Group, Marine Expeditionary Brigade–Afghanistan, assembled a solar-powered water purification system here, Feb. 16, in order to provide the community with clean, drinkable water.

Cpl. David T. Bernabe, a combat engineer with Brigade Headquarters Group, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, opens solar panels on a solar-powered water purification system here, Feb 16. The water purification system can filter 60 gallons of water per minute. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Franklin E. Mercado)

This is the first time the system is being used outside of Camp Leatherneck, said 1st Lt. Timothy McCormick, the assistant operations officer with BHG.

The system requires little to set up and is very efficient. The water purification system can filter water at a maximum rate of 60 gallons every minute.

Its ability to run with very little effort from the user makes the system simple. Because it is low maintenance and runs on solar energy, the only thing the user needs to do is change filters as they get dirty.

“The simplicity of the system makes this a great opportunity for these people to have clean water,” said McCormick. “The clean water will be rid of most of the bacteria and diseases it [typically] contains.”

Due to the contamination in the water, locals are not drinking as much water as they should, which leads to dehydration, said McCormick.
If the system is successful, it will encourage the usage of the purification system elsewhere, said McCormick.

“We filtered non-potable water through the purification system while it was on Camp Leatherneck,” said Navy Lt. j.g. Jefferson Moody, environmental health officer with MEB–Afghanistan. “The system got rid of most of the bacteria in the water and made it safe to drink.”

“Depending on how well the people are helped by the purification system, consideration will be taken to figure out where else we can set them up,” said McCormick.

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Story by: Lance Cpl. Franklin E. Mercado

More than 22 miles of roadway here and in surrounding communities are now fully lighted with 1,200 solar powered street lights, thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region District.

The third and final phase of the project was completed recently by project engineers at Al-Anbar Resident Office, based in Ramadi.

“The administration of this project is an excellent example of USACE’s commitment to building Iraq’s technical capacity,” said Army Maj. Joseph Geary, officer in charge of the resident office. Iraqi engineers employed by Gulf Region District were key liaisons with local electrical department representatives and city leaders, Geary noted.

The project engineer was Nasir Elias, an Iraqi civil engineer who has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for more than three years. He was assisted by Iraqi quality-assurance representatives Mohammed Kasim Abbas and Hussein al-Jaboree.

Solar power is widely recognized as a method for reducing the reliance on carbon-based energy generation and the resulting greenhouse gasses held responsible for global climate change. Solar power in Iraq, however, has a more palpable benefit. Iraq’s degraded power distribution infrastructure causes frequent and unexpected outages. Unlike Iraq’s electrical power grid, officials explained, the sun is a near constant.

In a country with limited power-generation capabilities, solar lights allow energy to be redistributed to areas of critical need. In an area where hard-wired lights may operate only for a couple of hours, a solar-powered light will provide continuous illumination through the night.

The final phase of the project was completed, Dec. 28, at a cost of $2.9 million.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq has completed thousands of reconstruction projects in partnership with the U.S. and Iraqi governments. Since 2004, USACE has completed 5,257 projects throughout Iraq valued at more than $9.1 billion, and has more than 350 projects ongoing. The overall reconstruction effort in Iraq currently provides jobs for more than 20,000 Iraqis.

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By Scott Harris

Cpl. Jonathan Irwin (left center) and Staff Sgt. Dwaine Hood, both with Able Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, relax with local Mullahs, or religious leaders, and villagers at the Baraki Barak District Center while they wait for the last of the Mullahs to arrive, Sept. 16. The Soldiers of Task Force Spartan delivered Mosque refurbishment supplies and humanitarian aid packages to the Mullahs to distribute to local families. (Photo by Spc. Jaime’ De Leon, Task Force Spartan Public Affairs)

Mullahs, or Muslim religious leaders throughout Baraki Barak in Logar Province, Afghanistan, gathered at the local District Center to receive Mosque improvement packages, distributed by Soldiers from Task Force Iron Titan, September 16-17.

The Mosque kits included several large rugs, a smaller prayer rug for the Mullah, paint, a new speaker system, and light bulbs. Possibly, the most important part of the kits was solar panels to provide electricity for the Mosque.

Local families also received humanitarian aid packages including blankets, sweaters, rice, peas and other goods. Several humanitarian aid packages were also given to each Mullah to distribute to the neediest families within their local outreach.

“We gave away $85,000 worth of stuff in two days,” said Staff Sgt. Dwaine Hood, a forward observer with Able Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, who helps plan many of the troop’s humanitarian efforts.

Local villagers gathered alongside their Mullahs, ready to help transport the goods. With the hot Afghan sun beating down, everyone gathered in the shade while the paperwork was completed. With the help of an interpreter, Hood went down the list and identified each Mullah. Interpreters made last-minute calls to the few who were running late.

“I’m like the middle man,” Hood said. “I set up a meeting and make sure people are who they say they are. I also make sure the people who need to get stuff get it.”

Once everyone was identified and accounted for, the Mullahs each stood by their pile of goods. One at a time, the Mullahs brought in trucks and had the villagers from their area assist in loading the goods.

“The reason these packages are so important is because it upgrades the local Mosque, which in turn, shows we care about their religion and lifestyle and are here to help in any way we can,” Hood said.

“We gave away the Mosque packages to gain the support and trust of the people and to improve their lives,” said Army Cpl. Jonathan Irwin, infantryman, who also serves as Combat Outpost Baraki Barak’s COP Mayor.

Completing the paperwork and loading the trucks took several hours, but the recipients didn’t seem to mind as they each left in jovial spirits signified by their wide smiles.

“They seemed really happy,” Irwin said.

The Mosque refurbishment kits were only one of the many projects Able Troop has planned.

“We still have a lot of projects in the works,” Hood said. “We’ll be giving out more food, clothing and other goods in the near future.”

CJTF-82
Written by Army Spc. Jaime’ De Leon
Task Force Spartan Public Affairs