Management of environmental impacts of fossil fuel use in refugee camps through transition to renewable energy infrastructure: Case studies in Uganda and Bangladesh

Many refugee camps exist for decades but associated infrastructure needs are only planned for the very short term, including provision of power. This study advocates a shift in approach to sustainable electrification of essential services in refugee camps for lighting, refrigeration, health, water, education, alongside camp operations. Qualitative and quantitative surveys were conducted in refugee camps in Uganda and Bangladesh which assessed the electrical supply needs across such categories. A range of solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems (Solar Home Systems, AC/DC mini grids) and their emission mitigation potential were modelled based on survey data. Proposed designs were compared with presently-used diesel systems in terms of applicability, environmental impact and economics. Results indicate significant cost savings are achievable through the PV systems deployment for different areas in two major refugee camps. Estimated savings range from USD31,000-140,000 and USD166,000-653,000 for five-year and twenty-year project lifetimes respectively. These savings apply to sub-areas of much larger camps, with potential savings increasing substantially if scaled to the whole camp. Results indicate that PV-battery systems were more cost-effective than diesel, even for five-year projects, with investments recoverable in second year of operation. Furthermore, replacing the existing 50 kW diesel generator in Bidi-bidi camp with a 40kWp PV-battery system would result in a reduction of 2.4 MtCO₂e over a 20-year project lifetime. Adopting presented approaches will enhance humanitarian service provisions, reducing both cost and emissions. These findings are applicable to many refugee camps in Africa and Asia that have similar solar resource and lack of grid access.