As part of its sustainable development projects, the IICO launched an alternative and renewable energy project to support 30 production projects in the regions of Sidon, Al-Iklim, Tyre, Beirut and Tripoli in Lebanon. This project was implemented in multiple stages over a period of 4 months with all professionalism and high precision, while ensuring its effectiveness and positive impact on the hearts of the beneficiaries. These projects benefit 30 of the neediest families, in cooperation with the Generation for Sustainable Development Association.

The importance of this project comes at a difficult time for small productive projects to withstand and face the successive crises that have swept Lebanon in recent years, starting from the economic crisis, all the way to severe crises, most notably the power outage crisis, which reached its peak in paralyzing public facilities last summer. The role of private generators, which were the alternative for more than thirty years, declined due to the crisis of diesel scarcity and its high price, which has prompted some people to search for alternatives to obtaining electrical energy, most notably solar energy systems.

In line with the increasing global trends to invest in alternative energy sources, and in view of the threat that electricity outages in Lebanon pose to productive projects for vulnerable groups, the IICO has never hesitated to finance the “Alternative and Renewable Energy” project to support 30 families who own small production projects. This aimed to help them overcome the electricity crisis and the burdens of expensive electric generators, and enhancing the resilience of their projects in light of this crisis.

Furthermore, the project aims to strengthen the resilience of the most needy small business owners and improve their access to clean, renewable, low-cost energy sources. The list of supported projects includes a dental laboratory, a physical therapy clinic, a nutrition clinic, a pharmacy, and carpentry and mechanics workshops for car service, repair and sale of bags, and maintenance of electronic devices. As well as maintenance of air conditioners, doors, and electrical appliances, installation of decorations, a barber shop, clothing and shoe stores, tailoring, toys, food, cheese, dairy, and children’s photography stores, a library, a karate gym, bakery ovens, a kitchen for serving home-made foods, a cafeteria, etc. 

 Moreover, by installing solar energy systems and their accessories to serve 30 families of the most needy shop owners in Lebanon, (each family has an average of 5 individuals), these families have overcome the power outage crisis. As solar energy has become a major source of electricity during the day, thus reducing the reliance on private generators in projects. This is in addition to supporting stakeholders affected by the power outage crisis and thus helping them to continue their production process, enhancing their resilience and reducing the unemployment rate among them, and increasing the productivity of the families included after they resume their profession normally. This helps increase the volume of daily sales and services provided by them to revive the local market.

In addition, the final report of the project noted that it prevented the closure of these small projects, and contributed to alleviating the financial burden on many small project owners who are unable to pay the cost of private generators due to their high monthly subscriptions. In addition to increasing monthly income by no less than 16% after saving from their total monthly expenses. Therefore, their monthly profits increased to approximately 50%, after it was approximately 34% before energy, as a result of reducing their dependence on private electricity generators.

Furthermore, the project outcomes crystallized in the installation of a sustainable alternative energy system, such as solar or wind energy systems, to meet the needs of small production projects and improve their profitability by reducing energy costs, which contributed to increasing profits, stimulating economic growth. As well as improving access to energy for small projects in areas that suffer from limited availability of electricity, which enhances its continuity and development, as well as improving the social life of beneficiaries in the local community by providing job opportunities and enhancing community interaction.

In addition, allocating solar energy to small business owners represents an added value, since there are no similar projects in the targeted areas supporting small production projects with solar energy, which enhances their sustainability for individuals and the local community. Moreover, supporting small projects also contributed to enhancing community interaction, improving the quality of life among them, and achieving community sustainability by encouraging this project to achieve environmental, economic and social sustainability.

This enabling development project with an environmental dimension is considered one of the vital sustainable projects that supports owners of small production projects with greater resilience, better provision of their services, and increased productivity. It also encourages them to sustain success and brilliance, in addition to its contribution to strengthening the local economy as an environmentally friendly project.

 It is worth noting that Lebanon is suffering from a difficult economic situation, the results of which were evident in the rise in the prices of private generators and the continuous power outages that reached 22 hours a day. As well as the rapid collapse of the Lebanese Pound starting at the end of 2019 by more than 90% of its value, which led to the decline of the Lebanese economy. In addition to the decline in purchasing power and the deduction of salaries as a result of the extreme high prices, which negatively affects the purchase of the most needy families for their basic needs.

In addition, thousands of families most in need of survival suffered in light of the spread of the Corona epidemic in previous years and the economic crisis, which led to a decline in job opportunities, a high unemployment rate, and food price inflation of 1000%. While income-earning opportunities have significantly diminished due to the country's severe economic recession, the price of a diesel can has risen to more than 800 thousand liras per can (at a rate of $13), at a time when the minimum wage is 675 thousand liras (at a rate of $11). According to the project’s study, poverty in Lebanon has worsened to a tremendous extent in just one year, affecting more than 74% of the country’s total population, while the percentage of those living in multidimensional poverty related to health, education, and public services reaches more than 82% of the population.

The Lebanon crisis is classified as one of the three most severe crises globally since the mid-nineteenth century, according to the conclusions of the Lebanese Economic Observatory report for spring 2021. As it resulted in the layoff of a large sector of employees as a result of the collapse of salaries, the deterioration of the value of the currency. As well as the rise in the unemployment rate to more than 40%, more than half of workers in the private sector are threatened with being deprived of their jobs, if the economic and electricity crises continue.