Renewable Energy in Afghanistan: Practical Development Pathways

In short: Afghanistan has significant solar, wind and hydropower potential, but available resources alone do not provide reliable electricity. Delivering energy access requires bankable projects, resilient networks, capable utilities, maintenance and financing suited to local conditions.

World Bank renewable-energy assessments identify strong solar resources and potential for wind and hydropower. More recent UNDP analysis also discusses solar and wind investment opportunities, particularly where access remains limited.

This updated guide revisits the original Risalat article while separating established concepts from claims that require fresh evidence. It is written for practitioners who must decide what to fund, procure, regulate or measure. Illustrative scenarios below are teaching examples, not reports of completed projects.

The earlier article also highlighted a continuing consideration: – Regulatory Framework and Community Awareness – the country has a significant lack of a realistic timeline for project implementation, as well as poor community awareness on the benefits of such investments. The practical implication is to test this proposition against current local evidence before applying it as policy.

The earlier article also highlighted a continuing consideration: – Economic Circumstances and Poverty that limit available financial resources that can be directed to renewable energy development. The practical implication is to test this proposition against current local evidence before applying it as policy.

The earlier article also highlighted a continuing consideration: – Security Concerts and Political Instability – that hinder reliable information collection and cooperation. Conflicts, war, and weakened centralized governance undermine the process of acquiring the necessary resources to be invested in the nation’s energy needs. The practical implication is to test this proposition against current local evidence before applying it as policy.

The earlier article also highlighted a continuing consideration: For decades, Afghanistan’s secure power supply has been disrupted by conflicts. As a result, the country’s energy generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure were demolished. Whatever remained, has been stretched far beyond capacity, limiting residents the access to power and light. The practical implication is to test this proposition against current local evidence before applying it as policy.

Understanding the issue and its evidence

Solar power and resource assessment

Solar irradiance is strong in many parts of Afghanistan, but site choice also depends on land, grid proximity, dust, security, seasonal demand and system losses. A bankable study must use site-specific generation estimates.

Before setting a target for solar power and resource assessment, the responsible team should define the population or asset covered, the current condition and the source of its baseline information. A useful baseline records both what is known and what remains uncertain. In a project appraisal, this prevents a plausible narrative from being mistaken for evidence of demand or impact.

Wind and hydropower options

Wind opportunities are geographically concentrated, while hydropower depends on river flows, climate variability and downstream users. Resource maps should guide surveys, not replace engineering or environmental assessment.

The practical test for wind and hydropower options is whether two independent reviewers would reach a similar conclusion using the same records. Specify the definition of success, the relevant technical standard and the point at which a design needs reconsideration. Document exceptions openly rather than averaging away difficult cases.

Design choices and technical delivery

Mini-grids and distributed access

Remote settlements may benefit from solar-battery mini-grids where grid extension is costly. Tariff design, productive demand, ownership and repair capacity determine whether service continues after installation.

Consider a hypothetical pilot focused on mini-grids and distributed access. The implementation team should begin with a narrowly defined use case, test it under ordinary operating conditions and record user experience alongside technical performance. Procurement should permit correction of design defects before large-scale roll-out.

Grid reliability and imports

Domestic generation and cross-border supply can complement each other. Planning should consider network losses, transmission constraints, seasonal demand and the financial health of electricity institutions.

Operational readiness for grid reliability and imports includes trained staff, a maintenance budget, reliable data and a route for complaints. If one of these is missing, the project may meet its construction or installation milestone while failing to deliver the intended service. Acceptance criteria should therefore include observed performance, not just equipment delivery.

Financing, procurement and governance

Project finance and bankability

Investors need clear land rights, payment security, realistic tariffs, procurement rules and dispute resolution. Feasibility models should stress-test currency, demand, equipment replacement and operating costs.

For project finance and bankability, a business case should distinguish initial investment from recurring costs. Compare alternatives on a common time horizon, including training, replacement, supervision and the cost of service interruptions. The cheapest compliant tender may not provide the lowest whole-life cost.

Storage and system integration

Batteries can support evening demand and stabilise smaller systems but add capital and replacement costs. Dispatch planning and appropriate protection systems are essential.

Governance of storage and system integration should clarify who approves changes, who holds the supplier accountable and who pays when assumptions prove wrong. A decision log helps explain trade-offs to auditors and affected communities. Material changes should be reflected in the budget, schedule and risk register before approval.

Decision check: Has the team compared a do-nothing baseline, a limited pilot and a scaled intervention using the same cost, risk and outcome criteria? Record the assumptions behind each option and the reason for selecting one.

Implementation, safeguards and measurement

Community benefits and inclusion

Electricity can support irrigation, clinics, cold chains and small businesses when appliances and finance are available. Consultation should identify affordability constraints and who may be excluded.

A practical control for community benefits and inclusion is to assign an owner, a reporting interval and an action threshold. Monitoring is useful only when findings lead to a decision: investigate, correct, redesign or stop. The threshold should be established before the data are reviewed to reduce pressure to declare success.

Gestión ambiental y social

Solar farms, hydro schemes and transmission lines have land and ecological impacts. Screening, consultation and grievance procedures should be proportionate to the project risks.

Evaluation of environmental and social management should look for unintended effects as well as intended benefits. Record who gains access, who bears costs and whether outcomes differ across locations or user groups. When attribution is uncertain, describe the limitations instead of presenting a correlation as proof of impact.

Practical exercise: Give a cross-functional team the baseline, budget and two alternative designs. Ask it to prepare a one-page decision note identifying the main uncertainty, three implementation risks, the evidence required for approval and the trigger for corrective action.

Application to public agencies and donor-funded projects

Monitoring service quality

Installed megawatts do not show whether households receive dependable power. Track hours of service, outages, collection rates, productive use and maintenance response.

A ministry or project implementation unit addressing monitoring service quality can start with a short diagnostic: map mandates, list approvals, identify missing skills and test whether the proposed intervention fits existing operating arrangements. The result should be a prioritised workplan with named owners, deadlines and verifiable deliverables.

Development programme priorities

Public agencies and donor partners can support feasibility studies, grid planning, transparent procurement, workforce training and performance-based maintenance. Start with a small portfolio of credible projects rather than speculative capacity totals.

In donor-financed work, development programme priorities should be reflected in procurement specifications, financial planning, stakeholder engagement and reporting where relevant. The financing agreement and applicable national law determine the actual obligations. Teams should verify those instruments rather than assume a single donor procedure applies everywhere.

First 30 days: Verify the baseline and consult affected users or operators. Review the first four issues in this guide against available local data. Produce a short list of evidence gaps and decisions that cannot safely be deferred.

Days 31 to 60: Test one feasible intervention, refine the technical specification and confirm whole-life financing. Agree responsibilities between policy owners, implementing agencies, suppliers and oversight bodies. Publish a risk register and a monitoring plan that can be maintained with existing capacity.

Days 61 to 90: Review early results with users and independent specialists, correct weak assumptions and decide whether to expand, redesign or discontinue the intervention. Preserve the lessons in procurement templates and operating procedures so the next project does not repeat avoidable mistakes.

For a field review of community benefits and inclusion, collect the relevant operating records and speak separately with service users, front-line personnel and the budget holder. Compare their descriptions of the problem and record where they disagree. A discrepancy can indicate a missing measurement, an incentive problem or a genuine difference in experience. A pilot should be designed to resolve that specific uncertainty before public funds are committed to expansion.

For a field review of environmental and social management, collect the relevant operating records and speak separately with service users, front-line personnel and the budget holder. Compare their descriptions of the problem and record where they disagree. A discrepancy can indicate a missing measurement, an incentive problem or a genuine difference in experience. A pilot should be designed to resolve that specific uncertainty before public funds are committed to expansion.

Risalat supports institutions with diagnostic assessments, applied learning and advisory services. Teams can begin with the institutional capacity assessment, explore the diagnostic centre and request a tailored proposal where external support is justified.

Evidence and further reading: The following primary sources informed this update. Readers should consult the underlying publications for scope, dates and methodological limitations.

• World Bank, Afghanistan Renewable Energy Development: Issues and Options
• UNDP, Afghanistan Private Sector Mapping 2025

Preguntas frecuentes

What should institutions check about solar power and resource assessment?

Solar irradiance is strong in many parts of Afghanistan, but site choice also depends on land, grid proximity, dust, security, seasonal demand and system losses. A bankable study must use site-specific generation estimates. Check the local baseline, technical requirements and responsibilities before scaling a proposed solution.

What should institutions check about mini-grids and distributed access?

Remote settlements may benefit from solar-battery mini-grids where grid extension is costly. Tariff design, productive demand, ownership and repair capacity determine whether service continues after installation. Check the local baseline, technical requirements and responsibilities before scaling a proposed solution.

What should institutions check about project finance and bankability?

Investors need clear land rights, payment security, realistic tariffs, procurement rules and dispute resolution. Feasibility models should stress-test currency, demand, equipment replacement and operating costs. Check the local baseline, technical requirements and responsibilities before scaling a proposed solution.

What should institutions check about community benefits and inclusion?

Electricity can support irrigation, clinics, cold chains and small businesses when appliances and finance are available. Consultation should identify affordability constraints and who may be excluded. Check the local baseline, technical requirements and responsibilities before scaling a proposed solution.

What should institutions check about monitoring service quality?

Installed megawatts do not show whether households receive dependable power. Track hours of service, outages, collection rates, productive use and maintenance response. Check the local baseline, technical requirements and responsibilities before scaling a proposed solution.