How much does a solar array cost in Yemen?

That has pushed farmers toward solar arrays. But the up-front costs can be high. Rassam paid about 50 million Yemeni rials (around $90,000 based on the unofficial market exchange rate) for his system, which is considered large by local standards. The average cost of an array is around $10,000.

Can solar power save Yemeni rials?

Farmer Mohamed Ahmad Sid El Rassam can attest to those benefits. He built a solar-powered water pump on his land in the region of Beni Hocheich. The setup chopped his diesel use by more than 85 percent, saving him 17 million Yemeni rials ($68,000) a year.

Is solar power a lifeline in Yemen?

“For many in Yemen, especially for farmers, solar power has been a lifeline,” says Matt Leonard, who specializes in microfinance with IFC. “The key now is to scale up its use.” Yemen has long been the poorest country in the Middle East and North Africa, but a conflict that broke out in 2014 has pushed the country to the brink.

Can solar power irrigate a famine in Yemen?

Across Yemen, a growing number of farmers are turning to solar power to irrigate their fields, a shift that comes as the country tries to stave off what the United Nations warns is an impending famine.