Assessing Photovoltaic Solar Technologies as a Solution for the Problem of Power Shortage in Iraq

In a developing country like Iraq, where the infrastructure of the electricity public sector (production, transportation, and distribution) has suffered for a long time from the direct effects of successive wars; lack of technocracy; bureaucracy; neglect; massive corruption; and much more, have all contributed to the failure of this sector. Indeed, the electricity sector in Iraq has not been developed for more than forty years; or even properly rehabilitated and/or maintained its facilities, which has led to a huge gap between the demand and supply (demand is double than the supply). It is obvious that the alternative solutions that have been proposed and implemented since 2003 have not become a solution that could fill even a small portion of the gap. In this paper, a proposed solution that seemingly has never been given a chance to be put on the table by both private and public sectors will be discussed. An assessment for photovoltaic solar panels technologies as an effective, viable, and quick solution for the infrastructure and demand problem was conducted using the Hierarchical Decision Model (HDM) as a methodology to assess the most efficient, and affordable candidate technologies relevant to all the valid perspectives and criteria.