Solar Power Shines in Iraq
America’s North Shore Journal has covered the growth of the use of solar power in Iraq for some time. We had a Bloggers’ Roundtable on December 12 2008 that provided more detail on the program.
Street lighting has been the most frequent use of solar power. Lighting streets and markets provides an added measure of security for the Iraqi people and the Coalition troops on patrol.
In the Fallujah region, about 800 lights have been installed with another 6-700 planned. They utilize a lead acid battery for electrical storage and light come from an 18 watt fluorescent bulb.
In the Baghdad region over 5,000 lights have been installed. Lighting here is through sodium bulbs. An additional 2,000 lights are scheduled for Southern Iraq, in the Basra region.
The Ministry of Electricity, working with the United States and other partners, is putting together a residential solar package. If the testing matches vendor claims, a single package will generate 2.68 kilowatts. That would provide an Iraqi household with an average of 12 hours of electricity. It would not support air conditioning but would provide for the other electrical demands of a normal household.
Current cost of the package is $15,000. Projected life is 25 years and they would be nearly maintenance free. The only maintenance necessary is regular cleaning for the solar panel.
In a nation like Iraq where the electric grid is outdated and subject to terrorist attack, the use of solar power makes sense. Iraq has more than enough intense sunlight to ensure that the panels generate electricity with maximum efficiently.
Joining the BRT from Iraq were Dr. Ali Allak, an expert on solar energy and an advisor to the Iraqi government, Major Tim Smith, the Marine in charge of solar projects in Fallujah and John Offen, Resident Engineer, Army Corps of Engineers.
Table of contents for Alt Energy
- Area 51 Now Powered From Space
- CERP funded windmills
- Going Green in Baghdad
- Windmills of Afghanistan
- Windmill Supplies Water for Bagram Neighbors
- Guantanamo Going Green
- Trash into Energy in Iraq
- PRT Lights Bazaar With Solar Power
- Solar Power Project Powers Ameriyah Clinic
- Afghan Province Green Powered
- Solar Power Shines in Iraq
- Solar-powered Water Filters for Iraq
- Army to Add Electric to Vehicle Fleet
- New New Choo Choo
This entry was posted on Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 11:00 am and is filed under War on Terror, Green, War on Terror, Iraq, War on Terror, Iraq, Rebuilding, War on Terror. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Now, if we could just start using solar more broadly in the US….
Maybe we should invade ourselves? I dunno. They are clearly not ready for Democracy in places like Chicago.
That’s great news. This can help these countries to recover and its also great to see alternative energy being used on a broader scale.