Local Filmmaker Shoots Historic Afghan Project
Central Asia’s largest solar project has just been completed in the Afghan provincial capital of Bamyan City, giving the region its very first power grid, and local filmmaker and director Robert Zuill went to central Afghanistan in May 2013 to shoot a video depicting the momentous renewable energy undertaking.
“I was working for Sustainable Energy Services International [SESI],” said Mr. Zuill. “SESI was doing a project for the New Zealand government installing an electricity grid with solar power arrays to supply it. Before this, Bamyan, like most of Afghanistan, had no electricity grid or centralized power generation of any kind.”
“The irony of this is that the Hazaara, the ethnic group that lives in Bamyan, are quite a modern people. They have cell phones, the internet, a small university with two campuses, they have a relaxed attitude towards religion, many of them speak good English. They have all the tools to move forward.
“But, until now, they did not have any electricity with which to make the leap.”
Mr. Zuill’s video depicting the project:
“The video is a promo for SESI. But I also intend to put together a longer documentary on the project and other aspects of Bamyan.”
Involved in renewable energy projects in both Afghanistan and Africa, SESI specializes in implementing power grids in remote locations, helping to promote economic development and improve quality of life for local populations.
According to the SESI website, “Sustainable Energy Services International’s core business is the design and implementation of turnkey renewable energy systems. We offer off-the-grid wind, hydro-electric, solar electric, geothermal and bio-gas energy systems for businesses, communities and government owned facilities.”
Sunrise over Bamyan Valley:
More known as a place where conflicts have occurred than for tourism, Afghanistan was largely closed to outsiders until a few decades ago, however Bamyan is becoming the focus of plans to revive tourism in Afghanistan.
According to BamyanTourism.org, “The remote land of Bamyan lies at the heart of Afghanistan in the midst of the Hindu Kush, far from the well-beaten tracks of the 21st century. The spirit of the great Buddhas still presides over this valley. To travel here is to discover something of an older world when merchants, pilgrims and conquerors from half of Asia passed through this area.”
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Oh …oh…oh….you gottah try the blonde hash maaaaaan!when in Rome….you have to try it…and fermented goats milf…er milk….I just don’t umderstand why I keep sayin milf….it just keeps slippin out my teef!
The Taliban will destroy this given the first opportunity.
Well done Rob. Amazing views there, and you clearly show that not all Afghani people are the same. Always a bit of a shock to see those empty sockets where the giant buddhas once stood before the Taliban government destroyed them.
A megawatt can be so revolutionary in these places where they had such limited electricity before.
Well done Robert – another positive Documentary about Afghanistan!