Kulak Solar Village to Pioneer Off-Grid Renewable Living
By John Lee.
Rwanga Foundation has unveiled plans for the Kulak Solar Village, Iraq's first fully off-grid, solar-powered community. Located southeast of Erbil, the pilot village will include 32 homes and house nearly 200 residents, serving as a model for rural climate resilience and energy self-sufficiency in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable regions.
Entirely powered by solar energy, the community will feature 24/7 electricity, solar irrigation systems, and training in regenerative agriculture. The project responds to intensifying environmental pressures in Iraqi Kurdistan, including desertification and extreme temperatures exceeding 50°C.
Idris Nechirvan Barzani, Founder and President of the Foundation, described the initiative as " a bold vision for a different future ," turning Iraq's environmental vulnerability into a platform for sustainable innovation.
The village forms part of the Foundation's wider Green Kurdistan campaign, which has planted over 200,000 trees since 2020, and its Empowering Sustainable Livelihoods programme that supports cooperative farming and training.
Rwanga aims to have the Kulak Solar Village fully operational by the end of 2025, with plans to replicate the model across Kurdistan and central Iraq by 2030 in collaboration with regional authorities and international partners.
(Source: Rwanga Foundation)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraq Business
9 hours ago
- Iraq Business
Needs and Vulnerabilities of Climate-Induced Migrants in Iraq
By John Lee. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has published a new study titled, "Understanding the Needs and Vulnerabilities of Climate-Induced Migrants in Iraq -- Climate Vulnerability Assessment." It concludes: This study explores the living conditions of climate-induced migrants in their locations of displacement to understand their main needs and vulnerabilities. Considering the displacement caseload continues to grow each year, it is important to develop programming and policy that addresses their needs and supports their integration within their new communities. By evaluating all known locations of displacement along the same, multi-sectoral criteria, the assessment supports evidence-based location selection and programme and policy design. According to key informants, the top needs of climate-induced migrants include livelihoods, shelter, and infrastructure and services. With respect to livelihoods, climate-induced migrants are struggling to afford food and other basic items in governorates like Al Basrah, Diyala and Baghdad. Regarding shelter conditions, climate-induced migrants often rely on irregular housing arrangements and reside on land without permission. Moreover, Al-Diwaniya Governorate hosts the largest share of climate-induced migrants in critical shelters. Lastly, access to basic services among climate-induced migrants appears more limited in central Iraq, most notably in Salah Al-Din, Kerbala, Babil, Diyala and Wassit. While climate-induced migrants share certain challenges with IDPs displaced by the 2014-2017 ISIL Crisis, they also have distinct needs, especially related to livelihoods and registration. Many climate-induced migrants engaged in agriculture and some continue to practice it after displacing. Therefore, climate-induced migrants require support to sustainably engage in agriculture and diversify their livelihoods. Moreover, climate-induced migrants face difficulties registering as IDPs due to varying eligibility criteria and practices between governorates, as well as broader skepticism toward the concept of climate-induced displacement. Therefore, further action is needed to address barriers to registration. Click here to download the full report. To browse our comprehensive library of reports on Iraq, click here. (Source: IOM)
Iraq Business
04-06-2025
- Iraq Business
Iraq to Boost Summer Power Supply through Karpowership Deal
By John Lee. Iraq's Council of Ministers has approved direct contracting with Turkiye's Karpowership Group to enhance electricity supply during the high-demand summer period. The contracts will add 650 megawatts through the deployment of power ship. In a parallel move, the Cabinet also approved the launch of a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) project for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The FSRU will supply the Bismayah Power Plant with 750 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, bolstering generation capacity. These measures are part of the government's broader efforts to address electricity shortages during peak consumption and improve national energy infrastructure. (Source: PMO)
Iraq Business
23-05-2025
- Iraq Business
Kulak Solar Village to Pioneer Off-Grid Renewable Living
By John Lee. Rwanga Foundation has unveiled plans for the Kulak Solar Village, Iraq's first fully off-grid, solar-powered community. Located southeast of Erbil, the pilot village will include 32 homes and house nearly 200 residents, serving as a model for rural climate resilience and energy self-sufficiency in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable regions. Entirely powered by solar energy, the community will feature 24/7 electricity, solar irrigation systems, and training in regenerative agriculture. The project responds to intensifying environmental pressures in Iraqi Kurdistan, including desertification and extreme temperatures exceeding 50°C. Idris Nechirvan Barzani, Founder and President of the Foundation, described the initiative as " a bold vision for a different future ," turning Iraq's environmental vulnerability into a platform for sustainable innovation. The village forms part of the Foundation's wider Green Kurdistan campaign, which has planted over 200,000 trees since 2020, and its Empowering Sustainable Livelihoods programme that supports cooperative farming and training. Rwanga aims to have the Kulak Solar Village fully operational by the end of 2025, with plans to replicate the model across Kurdistan and central Iraq by 2030 in collaboration with regional authorities and international partners. (Source: Rwanga Foundation)
