Lebanon’s ongoing political and economic crises have worsened long-standing electricity shortages, driving a rapid—yet uneven—adoption of solar energy across the country. While solar panels have brought some relief from unreliable grid power and costly private generators, the absence of regulatory frameworks and financing options has magnified social, economic, and environmental inequities. Through this short documentary, we explore how Lebanon’s solar boom impacts different communities, unmask the hidden injustices within this unregulated shift, and work toward solutions that make renewable energy accessible, accountable, and fair for all.

Project Overview

Lebanon’s Solar Energy Boom

Documenting the rapid solar expansion, the challenges, and the opportunities in a time of crisis.

Lebanon’s severe political and economic crisis has worsened the government’s failure to provide reliable electricity, leaving residents reliant on costly and polluting diesel generators. Rising fuel costs and limited state electricity have pushed many to adopt solar energy. Since 2020, solar panel installations have surged, adding 350MW of renewable energy—5-7% of Lebanon’s annual needs. However, this rapid growth lacks a regulatory framework, leading to issues like affordability gaps, poor equipment standards, and environmental concerns over lithium battery disposal.

We aim to address the inequities and challenges of Lebanon’s solar transition by investigating key actors, costs, injustices, and regulatory gaps in the sector. The project promotes fair energy access, accountability, and justice integration into renewable energy policies.

Objectives

  • Document Solar Injustices: Understand and highlight energy imbalances across Lebanon.
  • Promote Accountability: Advocate for local and international actors’ responsibility in addressing solar injustices.
  • Integrate Justice: Embed the right to energy in solar project planning and legal frameworks.

Core Activities

  • Research and documentation.
  • Community engagement through town halls and workshops.
  • Collaborative, participatory initiatives.

Impact

This project highlights the challenges and opportunities of Lebanon’s solar rollout, urging stakeholders to prioritize energy equity and align with Just Transition principles to ensure sustainable and fair access to renewable energy for all.

Documentary Premiere

In 2024, our team traveled across Lebanon to speak with municipality workers, energy experts, decision-makers, business owners, and local residents impacted by the solar boom.

Extended Interviews

While our documentary captures key moments and insights, time constraints prevented us from including every powerful voice we encountered. Here, you’ll find the full, unedited interviews offering deeper perspectives, personal stories, and technical details on Lebanon’s solar energy transition.

Research & Analysis

As part of our ongoing commitment to document and analyze the solar rollout in Lebanon, we’ve produced a series of commentaries and research papers. Explore the findings and recommendations below.