A new stage of development is taking shape in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where rural communities that once struggled with basic services are now beginning to rely on clean energy.
Much of this progress is being driven by Idris Nechirvan Barzani and the Rwanga Foundation. Their projects are giving villages stable electricity and a renewed sense of confidence. The work aligns closely with the growing commitment to sustainability across the Gulf, especially in Qatar where environmental planning has become a national priority.
The impact is especially visible in communities that, for decades, existed on the edge of Iraq’s infrastructure. Sheikh Wasan is one such place. Known for the suffering it endured during the chemical attacks of the 1980s, the village lived for years with weak and unreliable electricity. Residents depended on small generators that limited daily activity. When the Rwanga Foundation installed solar systems in every home and in key public buildings, daily life changed immediately. The clinic could stay open after sunset, children could read and finish homework without interruption, and families finally experienced the stability that modern power provides.
For Barzani, these projects are not only about technology. He often speaks of the need to restore dignity and predictability to communities that have faced enormous challenges. Clean energy becomes part of that effort.
A similar vision guided the creation of Kulak Solar Village, launched in 2025. It is now one of the most complete rural sustainability projects in Iraq. The village operates fully on solar power and supports irrigation, agriculture, small enterprises and women’s cooperatives. Local youth have been trained to run the systems, creating homegrown expertise and reducing the need for outside support. It is the kind of community based development that many in the Gulf, including Qatar, have been supporting within their own national strategies.
Environmental work around Erbil adds another layer. Tens of thousands of olive trees have been planted to form a green belt around the city. The goal is to slow desertification and restore natural balance. Qatar and several other Gulf countries are running similar programmes that focus on land restoration and long-term ecological resilience. The experience in Iraqi Kurdistan fits within this growing regional movement.
All of this is happening as the Middle East reassesses its long-term energy outlook. The Gulf states have taken major steps to invest in renewable energy and environmental research.
Jordan and Morocco continue to expand their solar and wind capacity. Iraq, which has long been viewed only through the lens of its oil industry, is beginning to explore renewable models that can support local communities as well as national planning.
Within this wider picture, Barzani’s work stands out for its focus on villages rather than large national schemes. The Rwanga Foundation has shown that reliable energy at the level of households, clinics and schools can be enough to reshape the rhythm of daily life. The projects may be small in scale, but the changes they bring are significant, and they offer examples that other rural areas across the region may look to.
For readers in Qatar, the developments in the Kurdistan Region show a complementary effort taking place further north. They also suggest areas where future cooperation could grow, whether in renewable energy, environmental planning or rural economic development.
The Kurdistan Region is still at the beginning of its clean-energy transition, but the direction is becoming clear. Through patient and practical work, Idris Nechirvan Barzani and the Rwanga Foundation are helping communities gain stable power, rebuild local economies and prepare for a more sustainable future. It is a gradual transformation, built village by village, and it is beginning to give the region a new and more defined role in the Middle East’s emerging energy landscape.
