Can solar power solve Yemen's energy crisis?

A project between UNOPS and the World Bank will help finance off-grid solar systems to power vital basic services and improve access to electricity for vulnerable populations. Solar power has proved to be the most immediate solution for severe energy shortages throughout Yemen.

Why are people moving to solar power in Yemen?

The migration to solar power is part of what researchers say is an energy revolution in the country of 28 million, where the electric grid has been decimated by fighting. More than 50 percent of Yemeni households rely on the sun as their main source of energy, and solar arrays power everything from shops to schools to hospitals.

What is the Yemen solar project?

The project aims to restore or improve access to electricity for 1.4 million people in these areas of Yemen, around half of them women. Solar power for critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, water corporations, and rural electricity providers will also be covered under the project.

How will solar power improve Yemen's electricity?

“Investing in solar will make Yemen’s electricity more resilient, reduce the dependence on fuels for critical service facilities, and create jobs in the private sector,” said Joern Torsten Huenteler, World Bank Energy Specialist and Task Team Leader of the project.

Is solar power the solution to Yemen's energy shortages?

Solar power has proved to be the most immediate solution for severe energy shortages throughout Yemen. A booming solar industry has begun to develop, but the affordability of the products still presents a barrier to access for the poor and most vulnerable.

Is solar power a lifeline in Yemen?

“For many in Yemen, especially for farmers, solar power has been a lifeline,” says Matt Leonard, who specializes in microfinance with IFC. “The key now is to scale up its use.” Yemen has long been the poorest country in the Middle East and North Africa, but a conflict that broke out in 2014 has pushed the country to the brink.