Afghanistan

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Afghanistan

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

Independent Power worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers to build five renewable energy systems near Kabul, Afghanistan

CLEAN ENERGY IN AFGHANISTAN

In 2010, Independent Power worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to provide five renewable energy based power systems for the Afghan National Army Base power sentinel post sites high in the hills outside of Kabul.

This project was the first of its kind for the USACE, and was to be the pilot project for evaluating alternate means of generating electrical power beyond the standard diesel generators that have always been the go-to option for the military. In military budgets, fuel delivery and transport is a significant portion of spending and risk of casualties.

In addition to lives, the burden of cost upon the military for relying on diesel fuel is enormous and ripe for change in their energy mix. Depending on market conditions, the military pays between $2 and $3 per gallon for fuel. Beyond the cost to purchase the fuel commodity itself, there are also other hidden costs including the cost of protecting the transport of the fuel, transport equipment, and transport personnel. These transport and protection costs increase the total cost by up to 15 times the actual purchase price in most cases.

This project involved the design of the systems, procurement, and pre-assembly of components, and shipment to Kabul. IPS President, Tony Boniface traveled to Kabul to lead the project and train the installation team on-site.