Embracing Solar Power: The Silver Lining in Lebanon's Energy Crisis
In the face of an energy shortage, Lebanon embraces renewable solar energy as a cost-effective and reliable solution
On a rather warm winter day, high in the mountains of Matn District, just above Beirut, I found myself welcomed by Roger and Elias Mazloum. In their quaint early 20th-century family abode, I took my humble turn at chopping wood alongside these robust Lebanese brothers, natives of the small town of Broummana, approximately a dozen miles east of Beirut's capital.
Their charming home, adorned with traditional Lebanese floor tiles and art tributes to late Egyptian music legend Umm Kulthum, offered a panoramic view of pine-blanketed mountains and a misty hint of the Mediterranean Sea from the roof. However, the highlight of the tour was the roof's latest addition – 18 solar panels, which have become an essential part of their life amid Lebanon's debilitating power shortage.
Joining the ranks of tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens, the Mazloum family has adopted solar power as a reliable and economical energy source in a nation grappling with a power crisis. "Even in normal times, we had to endure daily power cuts of five to seven hours," Roger notes, alluding to the period before Lebanon's economic downturn in 2019, which saw the Lebanese lira plunge by over 98% against the US dollar.
As per Pierre Khoury, Director of the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC), the state-run Electricité du Liban (EDL) can generate about 1,800 megawatts, falling short of the country's pre-crisis need of 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts. However, due to the economic collapse, the government is struggling to afford imported fuel, leaving EDL providing a meager 200 to 250 megawatts.
While perusing the TBB Nova app that manages the Mazloums’ solar power system, Elias, a civil engineer, demonstrated that their 18 solar panels generate over one kilowatt per hour, sufficient for their multi-generational household. This solar panel and battery setup, installed in July 2020, has been a game-changer for the family, saving them between $3,000 and $4,000 annually in electricity and generator expenses, and offering an uninterrupted power supply even in the toughest times.
The green energy trend is growing in Lebanon, with solar panels increasingly dotting rural houses, urban apartments, family businesses, and organization buildings. From a standing start in 2010, the nation’s solar capacity increased to 90 megawatts by 2020 and experienced a massive boost with an additional 100 megawatts in 2021 and 500 megawatts in 2022, as reported by LCEC’s Khoury. The Lebanese government pledged in 2018 to source 30% of the country’s energy from renewables by 2030, a commitment it reiterated at the U.N.’s COP27 climate summit.
At Sagesse University in Furn El-Chebbak, a suburb southeast of Beirut, a vast array of solar panels illuminates the rooftop. The university, one of many Lebanese organizations switching to solar energy, aims to harness 300 kilowatts peak on sunny days, sufficient to power their entire campus. ME Green, a pioneer in Lebanon's solar-power sector, has been involved in the installation of around 460 panels at Sagesse University, substantially reducing their reliance on generators and bringing significant financial savings and environmental benefits.
Over the past two years, the solar power industry has exploded in Lebanon, with the number of registered businesses growing from approximately 150 in 2020 to over 800 today. They cater to a broad range of needs, from small household systems starting at $2,000 to $3,500, to large-scale projects involving hundreds of panels or more.
Despite the solar-power boom, energy experts hold mixed feelings. Although it brings undeniable environmental benefits, Lebanon still heavily relies on polluting generators due to the national power company's failure and the absence of large-scale solar farms and green infrastructure. "The amount of CO2 you are reducing from using solar panels, you are also turning on diesel generators for longer," says Marc Ayoub, an energy expert at the American University of Beirut.
Ultimately, sustainable solutions need to come at the community level. However, these projects require a level of investment that Lebanon's cash-strapped government cannot afford. The potential for foreign investment exists, but most lenders are hesitant until the country finalizes a deal with the International Monetary Fund.
Despite these challenges, small companies like ME Green persist in their mission to proliferate solar power in Lebanon. With the cost of solar power dropping by over 90% in the past decade, it has become the most affordable way to generate electricity worldwide.
Back at the Mazloums’ home, as we savored our final sips of Arabic coffee, Elias professed their negligible reliance on generators, emphasizing the efficiency and reliability of their solar system. "People are seeing the real benefits," he stated, suggesting that Lebanon's green energy transformation is happening without us even realizing it.
Their charming home, adorned with traditional Lebanese floor tiles and art tributes to late Egyptian music legend Umm Kulthum, offered a panoramic view of pine-blanketed mountains and a misty hint of the Mediterranean Sea from the roof. However, the highlight of the tour was the roof's latest addition – 18 solar panels, which have become an essential part of their life amid Lebanon's debilitating power shortage.
Joining the ranks of tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens, the Mazloum family has adopted solar power as a reliable and economical energy source in a nation grappling with a power crisis. "Even in normal times, we had to endure daily power cuts of five to seven hours," Roger notes, alluding to the period before Lebanon's economic downturn in 2019, which saw the Lebanese lira plunge by over 98% against the US dollar.
As per Pierre Khoury, Director of the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC), the state-run Electricité du Liban (EDL) can generate about 1,800 megawatts, falling short of the country's pre-crisis need of 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts. However, due to the economic collapse, the government is struggling to afford imported fuel, leaving EDL providing a meager 200 to 250 megawatts.
While perusing the TBB Nova app that manages the Mazloums’ solar power system, Elias, a civil engineer, demonstrated that their 18 solar panels generate over one kilowatt per hour, sufficient for their multi-generational household. This solar panel and battery setup, installed in July 2020, has been a game-changer for the family, saving them between $3,000 and $4,000 annually in electricity and generator expenses, and offering an uninterrupted power supply even in the toughest times.
The green energy trend is growing in Lebanon, with solar panels increasingly dotting rural houses, urban apartments, family businesses, and organization buildings. From a standing start in 2010, the nation’s solar capacity increased to 90 megawatts by 2020 and experienced a massive boost with an additional 100 megawatts in 2021 and 500 megawatts in 2022, as reported by LCEC’s Khoury. The Lebanese government pledged in 2018 to source 30% of the country’s energy from renewables by 2030, a commitment it reiterated at the U.N.’s COP27 climate summit.
At Sagesse University in Furn El-Chebbak, a suburb southeast of Beirut, a vast array of solar panels illuminates the rooftop. The university, one of many Lebanese organizations switching to solar energy, aims to harness 300 kilowatts peak on sunny days, sufficient to power their entire campus. ME Green, a pioneer in Lebanon's solar-power sector, has been involved in the installation of around 460 panels at Sagesse University, substantially reducing their reliance on generators and bringing significant financial savings and environmental benefits.
Over the past two years, the solar power industry has exploded in Lebanon, with the number of registered businesses growing from approximately 150 in 2020 to over 800 today. They cater to a broad range of needs, from small household systems starting at $2,000 to $3,500, to large-scale projects involving hundreds of panels or more.
Despite the solar-power boom, energy experts hold mixed feelings. Although it brings undeniable environmental benefits, Lebanon still heavily relies on polluting generators due to the national power company's failure and the absence of large-scale solar farms and green infrastructure. "The amount of CO2 you are reducing from using solar panels, you are also turning on diesel generators for longer," says Marc Ayoub, an energy expert at the American University of Beirut.
Ultimately, sustainable solutions need to come at the community level. However, these projects require a level of investment that Lebanon's cash-strapped government cannot afford. The potential for foreign investment exists, but most lenders are hesitant until the country finalizes a deal with the International Monetary Fund.
Despite these challenges, small companies like ME Green persist in their mission to proliferate solar power in Lebanon. With the cost of solar power dropping by over 90% in the past decade, it has become the most affordable way to generate electricity worldwide.
Back at the Mazloums’ home, as we savored our final sips of Arabic coffee, Elias professed their negligible reliance on generators, emphasizing the efficiency and reliability of their solar system. "People are seeing the real benefits," he stated, suggesting that Lebanon's green energy transformation is happening without us even realizing it.
