Renewable Energy for All: Photo Voltaic Cells for Gaza Hospitals

Ahlam Al Jabali checking blood plasma in a fridge that operates 24 hours per day due to the solar panels installed in one of Gaza's hospitals

 

Project Summary

For over a decade, the Gaza Strip suffered from a chronic electricity deficit, which undermined already fragile living conditions. Power shortages stand at around 75%. This has severely impacted the availability of essential services, including health care. Power supplies are often interrupted during emergencies or hostilities, leaving the functioning health facilities overwhelmed with increased demand and inadequate resources; undermining access to health care services.

The Renewable Energy for All Project aims at addressing the urgent energy needs at the health sector in the Gaza Strip. The project will provide a renewable energy source as a sustainable solution to the current crisis. Based on past experience, mainstreaming renewable energy in public and social infrastructure is an effective, efficient and environmentally friendly solution, that would not only overcome the energy deficit at public health facilities, but will also reduce the load on the public electricity network.

The project will increase the resilience and improve the wellbeing of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip by ensuring equitable access to adequate health services through the provision of a renewable energy source for vital healthcare units at four hospitals.

The project outputs include:

  • Output 1: Provision of 85 KWp of sustainable electricity supply through the installation of photovoltaic systems that serve four health care units (laboratories) in four hospitals across the Gaza Strip.
  • Output 2: Energy efficiency in the targeted healthcare units is applied for essential loads to enhance sustainability and cost-efficiency

In parallel to the installation of the solar systems in the targeted hospitals, the project will include the application of energy efficiency in the targeted health units. The required essential loads, including lighting lux level survey, will be carried out to determine the quality of lighting on workspaces in the different hospital sections. Old fluorescent lamps will be replaced with new LED lamps since they are more efficient and consume less power.

Accomplishments and Progress

  • 85 KWp supply of sustainable energy, utilizing a photovoltaic solar system, in four vital healthcare units across the Gaza Strip. The targeted four hospitals include:
  1. Beit Hanoun hospital laboratory with 20 KWs
  2. Al-Aqsa hospital laboratory with 25 KWs
  3. Najjar hospital laboratory with 20 KWs
  4. Emirati RC Maternity hospital laboratory with 20 KWs
  • 50% savings on energy consumption in lighting and air-conditioning loads within the targeted units.
  • 540 new LED lamps provided to replace the old fluorescent ones across the four targeted hospitals.

Geographic Coverage: Gaza Strip
Partners: Ministry of Health (MoH), Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority (PENRA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency - JICA
Sustainable Development Goal/s: Affordable and Clean Energy, Good Health and Well-Being
Project Manager: Iman Al Husseini, Assistant Special Representative
Contact: 00970-59-9606775, Email: iman.alhusseini@undp.org
Hekmat El Khairy, Programme Analyst
Contact: 00970-59-9606791, Email: hekmat.khairy@undp.org
Other Documents: Project Fact Sheet