Renewable Energy Farms In Lebanon

A transition to clean energy is about making an investment in our future

-- Gloria Reuben --

As the global population continues to grow and our energy needs increase, it's become increasingly clear that our reliance on traditional forms of energy production, such as fossil fuels, is not sustainable in the long term. While these energy sources have provided us with the power we need to fuel our economies and societies, they also come with a significant cost in terms of pollution, waste, and environmental damage. Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas have long been the primary sources of energy production worldwide, but their use has resulted in significant air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The process of extracting, transporting, and burning these fuels also generates large amounts of waste and can have devastating impacts on local ecosystems and communities. It's become clear that we need to transition to more sustainable forms of energy production that can meet our needs without compromising the health of our planet and its inhabitants. Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower offer a promising solution, providing clean, reliable, and sustainable sources of energy that can help us reduce our carbon footprint and build a more sustainable future.

It is best to build wind farms on the tops of smooth, rounded hills; open plains and water; and mountain gaps that funnel and intensify wind. Wind resources are generally more favorable for electricity generation at higher elevations above the earth’s surface.

Therefore the most suitable sites for wind farms are located in Aaqoura, Akkar, Taraya, Tfail, Hermel, Hasbaya/Rachaya and the south of Lebanon.

Sites were selected based on wind speed as per the wind atlas for Lebanon. A minimum of 7 meters per second was used. In addition, sites were filtered based on their accessibility, their altitude, their proximity to the grid and their distance from villages. Publicly owned land were favoured. 

Based on these criteria, the total potential in Lebanon for wind production is around 5 GW.

A wind electric system is made up of a wind turbine mounted on a tower to provide better access to stronger winds. In addition to the turbine and tower, small wind electric systems also require balance-of-system components.

Solar energy is also a valuable resource in Lebanon. With around 3000 hours of sunshine, the addition of this energy source to the national grid could greatly contribute to the growth of clean energy in Lebanon (Kinab, El Khoury, 2012). Solar energy currently represents around .26% of the country’s energy mix (UNDP, 2017). To grow this energy source, the MEW is launching two separate bids for solar farms with total production capacity of around 450 MW (MEW, 2018). According to Dr. Harajli, project manager of CEDRO at the UNDP, the cost of generation of solar energy could reach as low as $6c per KWH in the upcoming bids. This could also contribute to considerable savings in oil expenditures. Given EDL’s average production cost of about $17c per KWH, solar energy is a sustainable alternative for Lebanon with savings of up to $11c per KWH (Bassil, 2010).

If you’re considering installing a solar panel system, you’ve probably spent some time researching financing, tax breaks, and solar installers. However, you should also educate yourself about the solar energy equipment your system needs to get up and running. While the components of a PV system are simple, the different product options and brands can make the equipment selection process fairly complex. We’ll break down all things solar power equipment in order to best prepare you to select your hardware.

Homeowners are often surprised to learn that their solar panels are not nailed directly onto their roof but instead mounted onto solar racking equipment. Racking allows your solar installer to optimally angle solar panels for maximum performance and also helps to attach the array to your roof without causing damage. Solar panels will ideally face south at an angle of between 30 and 50 degrees.

The term “racking” refers to a rooftop installation, but there is also mounting equipment that is ideal for ground mount solar and solar carports, which can both serve the same purpose of maximizing the angle of the panels for sunlight exposure. With ground mount solar, you can choose between fixed and track mounts. Fixed mounts are stationary, placed at a set angle and orientation whereas track mounts are designed to adjust and “follow” the sun during the day as it moves across the sky.

In order to go solar, you’re going to need the following equipment: 

• Solar panels
• Inverters
• Performance monitoring
• Storage option(battery or grid connection)

The primary equipment decision you’ll make is the brand and type of panels to choose for your PV system. For an easy guide to comparing and contrasting the top panel brands, panels from  SunPower ,  Panasonic ,  REC , and  LG  are at the top of the list.

Some of the factors to consider at as you weigh your options are efficiency, cost, warranty and technology type. Solar panels will generally be categorized as one of two technologies:  monocrystalline and polycrystalline . Both types have the same function and are made from silicon cells, but the outward appearance and price of each are significantly different. Monocrystalline panels are more efficient and more expensive and come with a dark blue or black tint. Polycrystalline panels, the cheaper and less efficient option, are a lighter blue hue.

Considering the classification based on the mode of operation, inverters can be classified into three broad categories:

1. Stand-alone inverters (supplies stable voltage and frequency to load)
2. Grid-connected inverters (the most commonly used option)
3. Bimodal inverters (usually more expensive and are used less often)

A solar monitor includes hardware attached to a solar array, an internet connection, and software (such as a phone app or web portal). The monitor reads the data flowing through a solar array's inverters. SolarEdge and Enphase are two leading manufacturers whose solar monitors are built into their inverters.

By applying this project, the 7th of the Sustainable Development Goals would be satisfied in Lebanon. The goal in question, is about affordable and clean energy, which is something we miss in Lebanon. With the help of renewable energy farms, citizens all over the country would have access to a cheap, uninterrupted energy supply, solving one of the biggest, inhumane problems challenging the Lebanese nation. To conclude, we would like to thank the Esri institute for providing us with the opportunity to work on this project, as well as the Esri team for providing us with all the help we need. In addition, we’re indebted to Mme Laure Harb for introducing us to Esri and to the gis concept in general, and for helping us and supporting us throughout the way. And of course, we want to thank the Notre Dame des Apôtres administration.

• Eugenia El Khoury
• Marie-José Karam
• Lara Abboud
• Rafic Aad
• Charbel Hazkial
• Elie Semaan
• Charbel Korkomaz