UNHCR and LONGi wrap up phase one of a multiyear climate action partnership
A 700kW solar photovoltaic powerplant has been installed at UNHCR's Emergency Logistics Hub in Termez. © UNHCR/Elyor Nemat
Termez, Uzbekistan – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and LONGi Green Technology Co Ltd, a global leader in solar technology, have completed a groundbreaking project to solarize the UNHCR Regional Humanitarian Logistics Hub located in the Termez Cargo Centre in Surkhandarya, Uzbekistan.
The project, part of a wider UNHCR-LONGi climate action partnership, marks a significant step towards ensuring a sustainable energy supply for logistics that support refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) across the region and beyond.
The solarization has transformed the Hub into a critical operation powered by clean energy. With the installation of high-efficiency solar panels, a substantial amount of renewable energy will be generated each year, reducing the Hub’s reliance on the grid and significantly lowering its carbon emissions.
“This transition to clean energy – a milestone in greening our supply chain globally – not only provides a renewable, reliable and cost-effective power source for the critical work that the Termez Supply Hub supports in the region, but also demonstrates UNHCR’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Shoko Shimozawa, Director of UNHCR’s Division of Emergency, Security and Supply (DESS).
The 700kW solar photovoltaic powerplant is expected to generate around 989,993kWh of electricity annually, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 495 metric tons per year. It will also result in significant annual electricity savings, which will benefit local energy infrastructure by reducing operating costs and allowing for reinvestment in further sustainable initiatives.
“By solarizing the Hub and partnering with UNHCR, LONGi is able to provide more efficient, reliable, safe and sustainable energy solutions for refugees around the world, accelerating the global energy transition and promoting energy equity,” said Dennis She, Vice President of LONGi. “Our vision is to promote a global energy transformation using BC (Back-contact) solar technology, solving the electricity problem for people who are often without access to basic services, helping refugees to safeguard their rights and live in dignity.”
This partnership sets a precedent for future projects that aim to promote renewable energy adoption and improve the lives of vulnerable populations.
A milestone in UNHCR’s efforts to achieve climate neutrality across its operations, the solarization of the Hub paves the way for further collaboration that draws on the skills and expertise of the private sector. And by investing in renewable energy solutions, alongside strong partners, UNHCR is not only reducing its environmental impact but also building resilience and ensuring a sustainable future for refugees and IDPs.
The Hub, which has served as UNHCR’s regional emergency preparedness and response stockpile since 2021, will be incorporated into UNHCR’s global stockpile network in 2025. This network, currently consisting of seven UNHCR stockpiles, enables the organization to respond to emergencies anywhere in the world by delivering core relief items (CRIs) – like blankets, mattresses, solar lamps and kitchen sets – to up to 1 million people who have been forced to flee their homes within 72 hours of an emergency being declared.
Solar panels are installed at the Hub, which now runs on clean energy delivering humanitarian aid across Asia and beyond. © UNHCR/Elyor Nemat
With the world witnessing an unprecedented number of emergencies in recent years, UNHCR has had to not only address ever-increasing needs but also to reinforce its emergency preparedness capacity. The environmental impact of such large-scale operations can be significant. So, as committed to in UNHCR’s Supply Strategy to 2030, the organisation aims to reduce the aggregate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from key CRIs and emergency operations by at least 30% by 2030. Efforts are underway to introduce new, sustainable specifications for CRIs that address issues related to production, recyclability, and packaging. In parallel, actions to mitigate the environmental impact of transport and delivery are being taken to reduce environmental impact across the entire supply chain.
Turning emergency stockpile operations net carbon-neutral is a critical priority for the sustainability of UNHCR’s work. And the success of this pilot in Termez paves the way for similar projects around the globe.
About UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, leads international action to protect people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. The organization delivers life-saving assistance including shelter, food and water, helps safeguard fundamental human rights, and develops solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future. UNHCR also works to ensure that stateless people are granted nationality.
About UNHCR’s Regional Humanitarian Logistics Hub in Termez, Uzbekistan
With support from the Government of Uzbekistan, UNHCR established the Regional Humanitarian Logistics Hub in October 2021 as part of its response to the Afghanistan emergency. Located in the Termez Cargo Centre, 2km from the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan border, the hub enables UNHCR to rapidly replenish local stockpiles and be more agile in humanitarian response, while reducing costs and risks associated with carrying large inventory in several countries. The hub is capable of same day, onsite processing of all necessary documentation for shipments, supporting emergency responses in Afghanistan, Iran, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and beyond.
The Hub is overseen by the UNHCR Representation to Central Asia, with 6,000 square meters of space for relief items that people need most in the first days after they are forced to flee, including sleeping mats, tarpaulins, fleece blankets and kitchen sets. Since its establishment, the hub has processed four airlifts and over 720 trucks carrying more than 7,190 metric tons of relief items.
About LONGi
Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world’s leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.
Under its mission of ‘making the best of solar energy to build a green world’, LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established five business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial and industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development.
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