Kurdistan
Irvin Hicks Jr., the US consul general to Erbil, delivering a speech at the launch ceremony of a solar panel project on September 18, 2022. Photo: Screenshot/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States consul general to Erbil on Sunday inaugurated a solar panel project in the Kurdistan Region’s capital, set to provide 200KW of clean energy, describing the project as a step towards a “secure energy future” for the Region.
Irvin Hicks Jr., the US consul general, attended the inauguration ceremony along with Omed Khoshnaw, Erbil’s governor.
Hicks Jr. in a speech addressed the importance of the project for not only the Kurdistan Region but for the US as well.
"A step to a more sustainable secure energy future for the region, it also demonstrates that renewable energy is competitive in this market," he said, adding that one of his priorities as the consul general was to promote Erbil-Washington commerce and economic partnerships "through trade and investment."
"This partnership benefits both sides, creating jobs, sharing technology, facilitating exchanges that make all of our lives better," he added.
The Kurdistan Region and Iraq rely mainly on burning fossil fuels to generate electricity, a method often considered by environmentalists as harmful and outdated.
Iraq also depends on importing natural gas from Iran in a bid to keep the lights on in the country, an increase in solar panels would also reduce the country's cost of importing gas.
The solar panels recently installed are manufactured by GIRS, an American company from Tennessee. Which the American head of mission in Erbil described as a great example of partnership.
By Zheen Saman
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