Shedding light on Gaza’s blackouts

A Palestinian farmer is to install solar panels on his chicken farm in order to ensure he obtains a continuous electricity supply, Arab48 reported yesterday.

Fifty-two-year-old Nahid Abu-Asi, whose farm is located to the east of Al-Zaytoun, central Gaza city, said his farm was destroyed twice by the Israeli occupation, most recently in 2014.

“I hope to afford 24 hour electricity in the farm because electricity blackouts mean daily losses,” he said, noting that generators are not reliable due to maintenance problems and they make a lot of noise.

“Despite the dire economic situation, I insist on installing solar electricity panels because chickens need electricity all day and night,” he said.

Abu-Asi applied for a $5,000 loan from an NGO working in Gaza in order to pay for the new project. “I will pay $200 a month,” he said.

IT technician Nidal Al-Nakhala said he installed solar panels after his neighbours complained about the noise from his generator. He said that he runs everything in his office on solar electricity.

Raed Hajjaj, head of the renewable energy department in Gaza, said: “Using solar or renewable energy in Gaza comes due to the need to find alternatives for electricity shortages.”