Is there a solar revolution in Syria?

An unlikely solar revolution of sorts has taken off in an embattled, rebel-controlled pocket of northwestern Syria, where large numbers of people whose lives have been upended by the country’s 10-year-old civil war have embraced the sun’s energy simply because it is the cheapest source of electricity around.

Why are Syrians using solar panels?

Cut off from the power grid and with fuel costs soaring, Syrians in a poor, embattled enclave have turned en masse to solar panels to charge their phones and light their homes and tents. Solar panels covering rooftops, some of which have been damaged in government attacks, in Binnish, Syria.

What type of energy is primarily used in Syria?

In Syria, most energy is based on oil and gas. Some energy infrastructure was damaged by the Syrian civil war. In the 2000s, Syria's electric power system struggled to meet the growing demands presented by an increasingly energy-hungry society.

Where are solar panels located in Syria?

Solar panels, big and small, old and new, are seemingly everywhere in Idlib Province along Syria’s border with Turkey, rigged up in twos and threes on the roofs and balconies of apartment buildings, perched atop refugee tents and mounted near farms and factories on huge platforms that rotate to follow the sun across the sky.

Why did Syria lose its major oil and gas fields?

The Syrian government lost its major oil and gas fields first to the Islamic State and then to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. This loss contributed to extreme fuel scarcity and a reliance on imports, notably from Iran.

Why is energy demand increasing in Syria?

Energy demand in Syria has been increasing at a rate of roughly 7.5% per year due to the expansion of the industrial and service sectors, the spread of energy-intensive home appliances, and state policies that encouraged wasteful energy practices, such as high subsidies and low tariffs.