{"id":9937,"date":"2025-01-27T10:31:35","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T10:31:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/?p=9937"},"modified":"2025-01-27T10:38:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T10:38:48","slug":"powering-unhcrs-work-with-solar-energy-in-mauritania-and-nigeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/powering-unhcrs-work-with-solar-energy-in-mauritania-and-nigeria\/","title":{"rendered":"Powering UNHCR\u2019s work with solar energy in Mauritania and Nigeria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”1238.3px” custom_margin=”-14px|auto|-53px|auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

<\/span><\/span>By Laura Argibay,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>UNHCR Associate Communications <\/span><\/span>Officer and Anett Varga, UNHCR Associate Programme Officer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2025\/01\/solar-panels-unhcr-office-nigeria-rf1413193.jpg” alt=”Aerial shot of buildings with solar panels on their rooftops surrounded by green foliage.” title_text=”solar-panels-unhcr-office-nigeria-rf1413193″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Aerial view of rooftop solar panels at UNHCR’s Office in Ogoja, Nigeria. \u00a9\u00a0UNHCR\/<\/span><\/span>Owoche<\/span> <\/span>Igwue<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has about 550 offices around the world, and powering them contributes to a substantial portion of the organization\u2019s overall environmental footprint. According to the latest data submitted to the UN Environmental Programme\u2019s Greening the Blue<\/a> Report, office-related emissions made up 56 per cent of UNHCR\u2019s total CO2<\/sub> emissions, generated by buildings, fleet and travel. A part of these emissions come from diesel-fuelled generators, which are used to power buildings in remote areas without a stable grid connection.<\/p>\n

To reduce this environmental impact and to take targeted action, UNHCR has developed the Green Financing Facility (GFF) with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the IKEA Foundation<\/a>. UNHCR\u2019s GFF is an innovative financing mechanism, providing long-term and high-quality solar power solutions for its offices. It uses financial guarantees to enable long-term contracts with the private sector for solarization, as well as a revolving fund that uses the same capital to solarize multiple sites over time. The GFF is part of UNHCR\u2019s efforts to reduce its own environmental footprint driven by its\u00a0Focus Area Strategic Plan for Climate Action<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Using a data-driven approach based on a remote energy measuring technology, offices that account for 80 per cent of UNHCR\u2019s infrastructure emissions will transition to renewable energy using the GFF, especially in areas affected by climate change. There are currently seven offices that have been equipped with solar systems using the GFF, six of those installed in Nouakchott and Bassikounou (sub-office and guest house) in Mauritania and Abuja, Lagos, and Ogoja (sub-office and guest house) in Nigeria. The systems have been operational since September 2024. With a total installed solar capacity of 36<\/span>0<\/span> <\/span>k<\/span>ilowatt<\/span> peak (<\/span>kWp<\/span>)<\/span>*<\/span>,<\/span> the use of diesel-fuelled generators have been decreased, reducing CO2<\/sub> emissions up to 45 per cent in Mauritania and up to 85 per cent in Nigeria yearly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2025\/01\/colleagues-touring-the-solar-facility-unhcr-nigeria-rf1413192.png” title_text=”colleagues-touring-the-solar facility-unhcr-nigeria-rf1413192″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Colleagues in the solar facility room at UNHCR’s office in Abuja, Nigeria. \u00a9\u00a0UNHCR\/<\/span><\/span>Sekav<\/span> Abe<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2025\/01\/UNHCR-colleagues-next-to-the-solar-hybrid-energy-system-control-panel-Mauritania-rf1414989-scaled.jpg” title_text=”UNHCR-colleagues-next-to-the-solar-hybrid-energy-system-control-panel-Mauritania-rf1414989″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Colleagues and the system control panel in Bassikounou, Mauritania. \u00a9 UNHCR\/Didier Akpa<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”6px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

For these solarization projects, the GFF fund was used to purchase and install the solar systems, with the agreement of <\/span>the <\/span>operations to lease the assets<\/span> <\/span>once they start to provide energy<\/span>. <\/span>The lease payments will be fixed for the next 10 years, enabling operations to safely budget for energy costs, instead of facing uncertainty due to the volatility of diesel fuel prices. With the solar systems in place, the expected annual diesel savings are 24,000 litres in Mauritania and 203,500 litres in Nigeria. The financial savings generated on fuel are freed up for UNHCR\u2019s programmes, allowing the provision of <\/span>additional support where it is needed the most.<\/span><\/p>\n

When solarizing the buildings in Mauritania and Nigeria, choosing the right technology depended on various site conditions. To ensure optimal results, the solar systems were tailored to fit the local contexts, aiming for reliability, CO2<\/sub><\/span> emissions reductions, and financial efficiency. This optimization was achieved with a grid-tied solar system in Mauritania and hybrid energy systems in Nigeria, which include a combination of solar panels, batteries and an electrical grid where it was available, and as last resort, generators. Generators remain part of the systems to ensure continuous power supply during periods of low solar generation or grid outages.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” width=”98.7%” custom_padding=”|0px||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]

B<\/span><\/span>efore the introduction of solar energy into <\/span>the <\/span>office\u2019s power supply in Mauritania, <\/span>high <\/span>electricity <\/span>costs<\/span> w<\/span>ere<\/span> a major challenge. With the new solar<\/span> <\/span>system<\/span>s in Nouakchott and in <\/span>Bassikounou<\/span>,<\/span> the operation c<\/span>an <\/span>reduce its <\/span>energy costs<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span>I<\/span>n Nigeria<\/span><\/span>,<\/span> diesel-powered generators <\/span>were <\/span>essential <\/span>to cover <\/span>blackouts,<\/span> <\/span>but<\/span> <\/span>their use <\/span>result<\/span>ed<\/span> in <\/span>increasing operational costs due<\/span> to their<\/span> frequent need for fuel and maintenance<\/span>. They <\/span>were also <\/span>a<\/span> significant<\/span> source of air pollution <\/span>and<\/span> noise<\/span>. <\/span>T<\/span>he <\/span>integration of solar<\/span> battery systems <\/span>into UNHCR<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s energy infrastructure for Abuja, <\/span>Lagos<\/span> <\/span>and <\/span>Ogoja<\/span> <\/span>has <\/span>substantially mitigated<\/span> these issues, and the generator<\/span>s<\/span> <\/span>are<\/span> now used primarily during periods of insufficient sunlight or grid outages.<\/span> <\/span>Stable and reliable power supply for UNHCR offices at these <\/span>three <\/span>locations are crucial, as they provide essential protection services for forcibly displaced and stateless people.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2025\/01\/solar-panels-unhcr-office-mauritania-rf1413190.jpg” title_text=”solar-panels-unhcr-office-mauritania-rf1413190″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”95.6%” height=”410px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”2px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Solar panels on the roof of UNHCR’s office in Bassikounou, Mauritania. \u00a9 UNHCR\/Omar <\/span>Doukali<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

The solarization projects in Mauritania and Nigeria were supported by donor funding from <\/span>the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the IKEA Foundation. <\/span>In addition to Mauritania and Nigeria, solar panels also provide renewable energy at UNHCR\u2019s South Africa Multi-Country Office and the Southern Africa Regional Bureau, operating within the same building, in Pretoria, South Africa. There are also currently ongoing installation works at three office locations in Kenya and Uganda<\/a> as well as for two more offices in Lebanon. Additional<\/span> procurements for <\/span>more UNHCR <\/span>sites are already underway, with the aim of solarizing 18 offices in 2025.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

UNHCR\u2019s <\/span>solarization projects are expected to <\/span>result in a 60 per cent to 90 per cent reduction in carbon emissions for most operations and financial savings of up to 25 per cent, depending on country context and site-specific <\/span>conditions<\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

*kWp<\/span>: Kilowatt-peak<\/span> <\/span>represents<\/span> the nominal power of the solar system.<\/span> It serves as the baseline measurement for a solar module, defining its maximum power output under specifically standardized conditions. In general, it can be said that 1 <\/span>kWp<\/span> of installed solar capacity could, around midday, provide enough power to <\/span>operate<\/span> a standard size air conditioning unit.<\/span> Since local conditions such as temperature, sunlight, and the installation angle of the modules vary, the actual output at each site will differ.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Laura Argibay,\u00a0UNHCR Associate Communications Officer and Anett Varga, UNHCR Associate Programme Officer.\u00a0Aerial view of rooftop solar panels at UNHCR’s Office in Ogoja, Nigeria. \u00a9\u00a0UNHCR\/Owoche Igwue\u00a0UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has about 550 offices around the world, and powering them contributes to a substantial portion of the organization\u2019s overall environmental footprint. According to the latest […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1271,"featured_media":9939,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[17,49,41,47],"tags":[621,619,623,617],"class_list":["post-9937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate-change","category-innovation","category-private-sector-partnerships","category-sustainable-development-goals","tag-green-financing-facility","tag-office-solarization","tag-renewable-energy","tag-sustainability"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1271"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9937"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10057,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9937\/revisions\/10057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}