Solar Energy for Kurdistan: ARE Member atmosfair’s Visible Project Results
Since 2018 ARE Member atmosfair has supported a refugee camp with renewable electricity. A new documentary shows the project and participants in detail.
Berlin, 17 April 2020 – Since 2018, the inhabitants of Mam Rashan refugee camp in northern Iraq have enjoyed electricity around the clock. Although the 10,000 people strong settlement only receives power through the grid by night, inhabitants can use electric appliances by day – thanks to a photovoltaic installation with battery storage. atmosfair and the state of Baden-Württemberg’s Stiftung Entwicklungs-Zusammenarbeit have supported the installation. Director Sebastian Schultz and cinematographer Patrick Sertore visited Mam Rashan to see the project and how it has changed life in the camp.
The power plant is not only the first PV solar project in Iraq. Improving the power supply is crucial to the camp: in the extremely hot summers and cold winters, people can now use heating and cooling during the day. To meet the needs of inhabitants, the camp also has a health center, several workshops, and stores. For them, clean and reliable energy improves working conditions significantly.
Several camp inhabitants received training to work in plant construction and maintenance. For them, the project also offered new perspectives to support themselves and their families. Nawar Eena, who lives in the camp and was the lead electrician during the construction phase, hopes that he and his team will be able to build more plants in Iraq, replacing the many diesel generators that are still used to produce electricity.
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/guEOS_Z-Kfk