Iraq Launches First Solar Village as Energy Crisis and Climate Pressures Mount
Iraq’s first fully solar-powered village has opened in Kulak, a rural community in the Kurdistan Region, as part of broader efforts to address climate change and chronic energy shortages.
The project, developed by the Erbil-based Rwanga Foundation, began operations on May 20. It provides round-the-clock electricity independent of the national grid and supports agricultural irrigation and training programs through solar energy systems.
Iraq continues to face severe environmental pressures, including prolonged droughts, diminishing water supplies, and expanding desertification. The United Nations ranks Iraq among the top five most climate-vulnerable countries globally.
Rwanga Foundation president Idris Nechirvan Barzani said the Kulak initiative is the first step in a wider effort to encourage energy self-sufficiency. “Our vision is to see this model grow across Iraq—one village at a time—until sustainability becomes the standard,” he said.
The village forms part of a wider campaign known as Green Kurdistan, which seeks to expand the solar model to additional areas across the Kurdistan Region and central Iraq by 2030. Future phases are expected to involve cooperation between regional governments and international partners.
Rwanga has also led large-scale reforestation and education projects in the region, planting more than 200,000 trees over the past five years.
The solar village launch comes amid a national energy crisis. Iraq continues to rely heavily on private diesel generators and imported electricity. Aging infrastructure, inefficient transmission systems, and limited integration between the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq further complicate energy distribution.
Experts suggest that a transition to smart grid technology could modernize the system and reduce losses. However, institutional delays and failed agreements with international firms have slowed progress.
Despite these challenges, the Kulak project is being positioned as a demonstration of how local renewable solutions can offer both climate resilience and energy security in a country where both are urgently needed.