Sustainable Energy Services Afghanistan (SESA)

One of the major thrusts of the ‘rebuilding’ process in Afghanistan has been to provide reliable electricity to rural and semi-urban areas in the country.  In many places it is the first time power has ever been provided.  SESA focuses on providing power to areas that have not been properly, or ever, served before.

As of 2007, it was estimated that 90% of the population was without access to modern forms of electricity and those who had access to electricity were subject to frequent power cuts.  Many communities that did have power provided by international efforts in the mid and early 2000’s received diesel generators that quickly exceeded the ability of the community to service and sustain.

In response, SESA developed and provides a number of solutions.

Containerized Renewable Energy Systems

Containerized Renewable Energy Systems (CRES) are self-contained powerhouses that are primarily designed to offer fast, efficient and safe delivery of professional renewable energy systems to remote areas. By building the units in Kabul, SESA can assemble, test and pre-commission the units carefully and without external pressures of security or logistics.

Systems are designed using high-quality, off-the-shelf components, thus reliability and maintenance is assured.

Community Cold Storage Units

In rural areas, farmers can be locked into a cycle of low prices for their products because they are not able to store these beyond their natural perishing period.

Community Cold Storage Units offer farmers the ability to store perishable products—produce, meat, dairy—for use or sale at a later time.

The ability to store high-value agricultural products even a few months after the end of a season can spread the rate at which they are released into the market, thereby raising their quality. Both factors help improve prices and income for the farmers. As a secondary benefit, the containers may be used as dry storage for seeds when not in use as chilling units.

Solar-Powered Abattoirs

Solar-Powered Abattoirs are self-contained meat processing and storage units. Meat products are safely processed under sanitary conditions and stored for days longer than when un-refrigerated.

The stainless steel wash-down areas ensure simple and effective cleaning to improve and maintain sanitation and hygiene. Solar hot water units are fitted to provide hot wash-down water, and a simple solar electric system provides lighting and small appliance use.

Solar Hot Water Heating

Afghanistan has great solar resources and can meet much of its hot water needs through solar hot water systems.

SESA used evacuated tube solar water heaters for health clinics in the Panjshir Valley, and so far these have performed very successfully, providing hot water for clinics for washing and clinical use. SESA is confident that with adequate sales and service/support, solar hot water can become an everyday part of the domestic energy scene in Afghanistan.

Solar Irrigation

With rural economies in Afghanistan being heavily dependent on agriculture, the ability to increase arable land with irrigation directly impacts the income of rural farmers.

Solar irrigation is a straightforward system where the pumping unit starts at sunrise and stops at sunset. There are no fuel costs or batteries to depreciate. The capital cost of the unit is recovered over time as the agricultural produce is harvested year after year. Service and support is provided by SESA in Kabul, if required.

Water volumes depend greatly on the size of the system. Power outputs can range from 1–10 kW, and pumping depths from 1–150m.