New EADP White Paper Provides a Unique Analysis of Yemen’s Solar Revolution

Yemen’s protracted war has taken its toll on the electricity sector. The country’s power grid, ‎devastated by decade-long mismanagement, collapsed entirely after the military intervention ‎started. Furthermore, frequent diesel shortages have turned most private generators unfeasible. ‎The developments have left most Yemenis in literal darkness. However, they also gave rise to an ‎unprecedented increase in solar energy, which has become the country’s most significant ‎electricity source. ‎

Dawud Ansari and Hashem al-Kuhlani–the directors of EADP–and DIW Berlin department head and ‎energy professor Claudia Kemfert analyse these developments in our newest white paper. ‎‎“Yemen’s solar revolution: Developments, challenges, opportunities” provides a unique account ‎of the collapse and the rebirth of Yemen’s electricity sector. The work investigates why the solar ‎revolution has come to a halt, and it formulates bold recommendations on how international ‎actors can support the young industry. Broad capacity building among local resellers and service ‎providers, increased competition, and a turn towards local mini-grids will be crucial. ‎