- Title: Solar energy powers up life in war-ravaged Homs district
- Date: 11th July 2017
- Summary: HOULA, SYRIA (JULY 9, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HOULA RESIDENT SETTING UP SOLAR PANELS MOTORCYCLIST DRIVING PAST SOLAR PANELS ON SIDE OF ROAD SOLAR PANELS ON THE SIDE OF ROAD VARIOUS OF OWNER OF AN ICE-CREAM SHOP, SAMER SHABAN, CONNECTING HIS SOLAR PANELS BATTERIES CONNECTED TO THE PANELS SHABAN CHECKING ELECTRICITY PLUGS SHABAN SCOOPING ICE CREAM FOR A YOUNG CUSTOMER TUBS OF ICE CREAM IN VARIOUS FLAVOURS IN THE FRIDGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF AN ICE CREAM SHOP IN HOULA, SAMER SHABAN, SAYING: "We suffer electricity shortages in Houla, and we as shop owners need electricity. As an owner of a shop that sells cheese, yoghurt and ice cream, I had to use solar energy, which is basically mirrored panels that produce 150 amperes. Along with the panels, we had to get batteries and converters." SOLAR PANEL ON THE ROOF OF A HOME NEXT TO SATELLITE FISH VARIOUS OF RESIDENT, MOHAMMED HARMOUSH, CONNECTING ELECTRONICS TO A BATTERY INSIDE HIS HOME HARMOUSH TURNING ON A FAN AND SITTING IN FRONT OF THE TV HARMOUSH HOLDING REMOTE CONTROL AND TURNING ON TV (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, MOHAMMED HARMOUSH, SAYING: "Here electricity only comes on for an hour, and all these items can't work on batteries alone. We had to get solar panels in order to charge the batteries and use these home appliances that need electricity, especially in this heat." VARIOUS OF SOLAR PANELS VARIOUS OF A MAN ADAPTING A FAN TO OPERATE ON SOLAR POWER MAN AT WORK, WITH A FAN BLOWING AIR ON HIM VARIOUS OF SOLAR PANELS ON SIDE OF ROAD
- Embargoed: 25th July 2017 16:36
- Keywords: Homs Houla solar power solar energy Syrian life
- Location: HOULA, SYRIA
- City: HOULA, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0016P9THSL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mirrored solar panels are becoming an increasingly common sight in the streets of Syrian district of Houla.
Houla, a collection of villages just north of Homs province, which is 165 km. (100 miles) north of Damascus, has been suffering from severe electricity shortage due to the ongoing war in Syria.
As a result, residents of the town find it difficult to power everyday appliances like fans, TVs or refrigerators.
And this inconvenience has led many buy and install solar panels outside their homes or shops.
Ice cream shop owner Samer Shaban, said he desperately needed electricity in order to power the fridges in his stores.
"We suffer electricity shortages in Houla, and we as shop owners need electricity. As an owner of a shop that sells cheese, yoghurt and ice cream, I had to use solar energy, which is basically mirrored panels that produce 150 amperes. Along with the panels, we had to get batteries and converters," he said.
Resident Mohammed Harmoush said his days were long and tedious before he installed the panels, especially during the suffocating heat of the summer.
"Here electricity only comes on for an hour, and all these items can't work on batteries alone. We had to get solar panels in order to charge the batteries and use these home appliances that need electricity, especially in this heat," said Harmoush.
A crackdown by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to a bitter civil war, and Islamic State militants used the chaos to seize territory in Syria and Iraq.
Half of Syria's 22 million people have been uprooted and more than 400,000 killed. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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