The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated that the total installed solar capacity in the Syrian Arab Republic was 60 MW in 2023, 58 MW was On-Grid Solar photovoltaics and 2 MW was Off-Grid Photovoltaics. ⁶

The Syrian Ministry of Electricity is planning to increase Solar photovoltaic capacity by 2500 MW in 2030.⁷

⁸

Fossil fuel: 0.16 USD/kWh in 2010.

Solar Energy: 0.094 USD/kWh in 2019.

⁶

Syria’s electricity mix is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with natural gas dominating at 47.13% (4801 MW) and oil contributing 37.55% (3824 MW). Hydropower provides a significant renewable share at 14.63% (1490 MW), while solar and wind power remain negligible at 0.59% (60 MW) and 0.00% (0.6 MW) respectively. This reliance on fossil fuels poses environmental and energy security challenges for the country.

Technology	Electricity Installed Capacity (MW)	Percentage
Natural gas	4801	47.15%
Oil	3824	37.56%
Renewable hydropower	1490	14.63%
Solar photovoltaic	60	0.59%
Biogas	6.705	0.07%
Onshore wind energy	0.6	0.01%
Total	10182.305	100%

Projected Renewable Energy:

The Syrian government aims to have 10% of electricity generated from solar power by 2030.⁹

The Ministry of Electricity is outlining a strategy to introduce: ⁷

• Up to 2,500 MW of solar energy
• 1,500 MW of wind power by 2030

Frequent and long Power outages amounting to 6 hours are common in Syria.¹⁰ Sometimes electricity is not available for 20 hours.¹¹

Syria is facing a shortfall of 5000 MW, despite a 5,500MW capacity, Syria only produces a little over 2,000MW of electricity, whereas demand in Syria is 7000 MW. ¹¹

The exact number of residential solar panel installations in Syria is unknown, but some figures indicate a high reliance on solar panels.

• A study indicates in Damascus alone, there are at least 200,000 solar panels installed in homes.¹²
• The Aga Khan Foundation in Syria has supported over 3,400 households to access solar-powered water pumps since 2021. ¹³

Installed: Jusoor, a credible research center in Syria, has estimated 4 solar farms are operating in Syria.¹⁴

Projected: Global Energy Monitor estimated that 3 solar farms are in the construction face, 2 are in the preconstruction phase and 3 more have been announced to build in Syria until 2023.¹⁵

Current: IRENA estimated that the total Off-Grid solar capacity installed in Syria was 2 MW in 2023.  ⁶

Projected: The Ministry of Electricity in Syria has estimated the demand for Off-Grid solar energy in Syria will be 1000 MW in 2030. ¹⁶

Current: IRENA estimated that the total On-Grid solar capacity installed in Syria was 58 MW in 2023. ⁶

Projected: The Ministry of Electricity in Syria has estimated the demand for On-grid solar energy in Syria will be 1500 MW in 2030. ¹⁶

• The average monthly Solar Energy Installation Manager Salary in Syria is 18.5 USD. ¹⁷
• The average monthly solar engineer salary in Syria is 12 USD.¹⁸

On  6 January 2025, the population of the Syrian Arab Republic was 25,154,305.¹⁹

Water Costs: For commercial communities in Syria, the water tariff is set at $0.45 per cubic meter.²⁰

Key Components of Administrative Costs

Salaries and Wages:

• The average monthly Solar Energy Installation Manager Salary in Syria is 18.5 USD. ¹⁷
• The average monthly solar engineer salary in Syria is 12 USD.¹⁸

Rent for Office Space: The average office space rent in Syria is 15 USD / m² / month.²¹

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Total installed electricity generation capacity:  10182.305 MW in 2022

Total Electricity Generation:  17 TWh in 2022

Per capita electricity generation: 762 kWh in 2022 ⁴

Generation mix:

Syria’s electricity generation is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with natural gas providing 55.22% (9417 GWh) and oil contributing 39.55% (6745 GWh). Hydropower accounts for 4.42% (754 GWh) of generation, while other renewables like solar and wind remain marginal at 0.60% (102.1 GWh) and 0.01% (1.051 GWh), respectively. This dependence on fossil fuels raises concerns about sustainability and energy security in the country.

Technology	Electricity Generation (GWh)	Percentage
Natural gas	9417	55.22%
Oil	6745	39.55%
Renewable hydropower	754	4.42%
Solar photovoltaic	102.1	0.60%
Biogas	33.479	0.20%
Onshore wind energy	1.051	0.01%
Total	17052.63	100.00%

Leading players:

The  Public Establishment for Transmission and Distribution of Electricity (PETDE) is the leading player in Syria’s electricity sector. It is responsible for the generation and transmission of electricity throughout the country.²²

Major power plants

The main power plants of Syria are based on Natural gas, Oil, and hydropower. Besides this Syria has small-scale solar and wind energy farms.

Thermal Power Plants:

Jandar Power Plant ²³

• Location: Jandar, Homs, Syria
• Capacity: 1183 MW
• Type: Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT)
• Status: Operating
• Fuel: Natural gas (primary), fuel oil (backup)
• Commissioning: 1997

The Jandar Power Plant consists of multiple units:

• Unit 1: 703 MW combined cycle unit, commissioned in 1995
• EXT1: 480 MW combined cycle unit, commissioned in 2011
• EXT2: 450 MW combined cycle unit (under construction)
• EXT3: 350 MW combined cycle unit (announced)

Banias Thermal Power Plant ²⁴

• Location: Baniyas, Tartus
• Capacity: 680 MW
• Fuel: Natural gas (primary), distillate fuel oil (backup)
• Features four steam turbine units, each with 170 MW capacity

Aleppo Thermal Power Plant ²⁵

• Location: Jibrin, Aleppo
• Capacity: 426 MW (as of 2023, reduced from the original 1065 MW)
• Fuel: Natural gas and fuel oil
• Commissioned: 1997
• Consists of five 213 MW steam turbine units, with only two currently operational.

Other Renewable Energy sources

Wind energy:

According to a study by ScienceDirect Syria’s wind energy potential is estimated at 80,000 megawatts.²⁶ The Ministry of Electricity is outlining a strategy to produce 1,500 MW of electricity from wind power by 2030. ⁷

Openinframap found two solar farms in Syria from its satellite resources. The capacity of one wind farm is 5 MW and the other one is 6 MW: ²⁷

Golan Heights Wind Farm

• Capacity: 6 MW
• Operator: Mey Eden

Hydropower:

Syria has several hydroelectric power plants that contribute significantly to its energy infrastructure. Some  major hydropower facilities in Syria are:

Tabqa Dam ²⁸

• Capacity: 800 MW
• Location: Al-Thawrah
• It is also known as the Euphrates Dam, it’s one of Syria’s largest hydroelectric facilities

Tishrin Dam  ²⁸

• Capacity: 630 MW
• Location: Abu Qalqal
• Generation: Generates approximately 1,600 GWh of electricity annually

Baath Dam  ²⁹

• Capacity: 81 MW
• Location: Raqqa
• Also known as Al-Baath Dam
• Annual electricity generation: 375 GWh

Energy Imports:

Syria imports energy from a number of countries, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Jordan, and Germany. In 2022, Syria imported $118 million in refined petroleum from these countries. ³⁰

For solar panels in Syria, the following IEC certifications would likely be relevant: ³¹

• IEC 61215: Design qualification and type approval for terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules.
• IEC 61730: Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification.
• IEC 61701: Salt mist corrosion testing of photovoltaic (PV) modules (especially important for coastal areas)
• IEC 62716: Ammonia corrosion testing of photovoltaic (PV) modules.
• IEC TS 62804: Test methods for the detection of potential-induced degradation of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules.

The Syrian government has been actively promoting and investing in solar panel production and renewable energy initiatives in recent years.

Solar Panel Manufacturing Project: A solar panel manufacturing project in Adra Industrial City was granted an investment license, with an estimated cost of over 6,229,710 USD and an annual production capacity of 150,000 panels. ³²

Licensing for solar PV Plants:

The government has licensed 157 photovoltaic power plant projects with a total capacity of 117 megawatts, of which 72 projects with a capacity of 19 megawatts have been implemented.¹⁶

Custom duty Off:

Customs on imports of equipment needed to produce renewable energy have been eliminated to encourage investment. ¹⁶

Loan Programs:

The government has launched a loan program encouraging people to install solar panels to compensate for electricity shortages.³³

Adra Solar Farm ³⁴

• Location: Located in Adra Industrial City, Damascus
• Capacity: Phase 1: 10 MWp capacity, commissioned in 2022
• Future Plans: Future phases under construction, planned for 90 MW additional capacity

Aleppo Solar Farm ³⁵

• Location: Located in Aleppo Governorate
• Capacity: Phase 1: 42 MW capacity, commissioned in 2021
• Future Plans: Phase 2: 58 MW capacity, currently under construction.

Hassia Industrial City Project ^36 14

• Capacity: 60 MW
• Operational: 20 MW
• Part of a larger renewable energy initiative

Hama 1 MW Solar Power Plant: Operational since 2019, with a 25-year lifespan, serving as an alternative to the public grid. ¹⁴

Qamhana 1 MW Solar Power Plant: Fully operational in Hama Governorate, with 2,222 solar panels, producing 1.7 million kilowatt-hours annually. ¹⁴

Projected Solar Projects:

Homs Jandar Power Solar PV Park ³⁷

• Capacity: Planned 40 MW solar PV project in Homs
• Construction Date: Construction expected to commence in 2024
• Project Completion: Projected commercial operation by 2025

Sargaya Solar Power Plant ⁹

• Capacity:100 kW.
• Status: Under construction, scheduled for completion by the end of 2023
• Estimated to power approximately 100 houses.

ARM Power: ARM Power is a leading distributor and manufacturer of high-quality solar panels in Syria. The company provides solar panels for residential, commercial, and industrial applications, offering installation and maintenance services.
Website: https://armpower.in/en/blogs/post/top-solar-panel-distributors-and-suppliers-in-syria/

Syria Solar: Syria Solar is a notable solar company in Syria that focuses on implementing solar energy systems in medical facilities across the country. Syria Solar has Installed 480 solar panels producing 127 KW, 288 batteries storing 720 kWH and 23 advanced inverters enabling ICUs, operating rooms, and emergency departments to operate without diesel generators.
Website: https://syriasolar.org/

I-kWh I-kWh is a company specializing in intelligent energy solutions with a focus on solar power. They have Commissioned a 10MW solar PV plant in Adra, Syria, as part of a larger 110MW project to connect to the Syrian grid.
Website: https://www.i-kwh.com/