Bamyan, Afghanistan is home to one of the largest off-grid power systems in the world.

Working with Sustainable Energy Services International (SESI), S&T designed five solar power farms to generate more than a megawatt of electricity to support 2,500 homes and many businesses in the rural Afghan province. The system uses a mix of solar, battery and diesel backup and was designed to handle the temperature variations at high altitudes.

Before, locals had no electricity at all or relied on generators and kerosene lamps. Now, the solar farm generates electricity to the area and creates jobs, with local technicians learning to operate the system. As part of a New Zealand Aid Programme, the project supports the agency’s mission assisting economic development in the region.

The New Zealand team worked with 15 Afghan engineers and 40 tradesmen and labourers from surrounding villages to construct the farms. As a rural region still unstable with conflict, the logistics of handling and transporting materials and personnel were challenging. The project showcases New Zealand as a world leader in new technology, with the ability to provide large-scale renewable energy projects around the globe.