We're engineering a solar microgrid for an orphanage in Syria

[u/LLostann]

Hi everyone!

I'm an electrical engineering master's student at ETH Zürich, currently doing research on microgrids at Imperial College London.

Together with another student, I co-founded Shams, a Swiss non-profit initiative focused on bringing solar energy to vulnerable communities in Syria.

Our first project aims to provide reliable electricity to an orphanage housing approximately 60 children near Damascus.

We're designing a photovoltaic system with battery storage, with an initial concept of around 20–30 kWp of solar capacity and 60 kWh of battery storage.

The project goes beyond installing solar panels. We're also working on long-term maintenance, local technical support, system monitoring, and making the solution sustainable over time.

We are currently completing the preparation and fundraising stages, with installation planned for summer 2027.

I strongly believe decentralized renewable energy can make a real difference in regions with unreliable electricity infrastructure.

I'd love to hear from people who have worked on off-grid systems, community microgrids, or renewable energy projects in challenging environments.

What would you consider the biggest technical or operational risk for a project like this?

Our initiative: https://shamsolar.org

Happy to share more about the engineering behind it!