For decades, the people of Lebanon have faced unreliable electricity supply, with some areas experiencing blackouts for six to twelve hours a day. While generally an inconvenience for everyone, for the children of Lebanon these blackouts can have particularly negative effects by impacting on their education.
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. is helping to improve the educational experience for children in 19 remote Lebanese schools by supplying solar panels to provide stable, clean and reliable power.
Sponsored and facilitated by the Country Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Demonstration Project for the Recovery of Lebanon (CEDRO), established through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the combined systems represent the largest solar initiative in Lebanon. CEDRO was created in October 2007 and has a budget of USD$9.73 million funded by the Lebanon Recovery Fund by means of a donation from Spain.
Local Integrator Asaco designed custom systems using the Suntech solar panels for each of the 19 schools, with power outputs ranging from 1.2kW to 1.8kW.
Several power sources needed to be integrated at each site, including grid power, the solar power systems and diesel generators in some cases in order to ensure that the schools have dependable power at all times.
According to Joseph Nakleh, Principal of the Anna Intermediate Public School, a recipient of one of the systems, "The new system is not only an excellent solution since it finally solved our electricity issues, but it will serve as a tangible, everlasting example for our students about the good uses of green power."
