NAQOURA, JANUARY 6 – One of UNIFIL’s more than 50 positions in south Lebanon made history recently as the first to rely fully on solar panels for its energy needs. UNP 1-31, tucked atop a hill near the south-western Lebanese village of Labbouneh, now operates fully on solar power.
With nearly 70 megawatt-hour (MWh) solar power generated annually, this UNIFIL base now saves nearly 36,000 litres of diesel fuel every year, thereby cutting some 93 tons of CO2 emissions. This solar energy system is expected to have a 25-year life span, the peacekeeping mission said on its web site. The 8,300 square metre base, which is home to about 25 peacekeepers, lies adjacent to an important stretch of the Blue Line.
In New York, Italy is on the frontline on the efforts to control and improve the environmental impact of UN mission as co-chair with Bangladesh of the Group of Friends Leading on environmental management in the field –LEAF. UNIFIL currently has 14 solar power farms with total production capacity of 474 kilowatt-peak (kWp). This means these solar farms can generate up to 474 KW power in an hour under optimal conditions. In 2020, these solar farms produced 643 megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable energy, resulting in $97,000 in annual savings while cutting 536 tons of CO2 emissions.
UNIFIL produces energy to power its positions and headquarters. Overall, solar energy accounts for about 1.5 per cent of the mission’s total energy production, with more than 4.5 per cent of the energy consumed in its Naqoura headquarters already coming from the sun. With the completion of ongoing solar installation projects at various UNIFIL locations, the overall mission figure is estimated to reach 2.5 per cent soon, and 8 per cent by 2024. This is particularly significant as Lebanon is going through a debilitating power crisis and amidst global calls to reduce fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. (@OnuItalia)
