Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) has announced the commencement of six wind and solar energy projects across four provinces to boost domestic energy production.

According to Hekmatullah Miwandi, spokesperson for DABS, the company's five-year plan aims to add an additional 1,000 megawatts to the country's energy output.

These wind and solar energy projects are being implemented in the provinces of Kabul, Nangarhar, Balkh, and Herat.

Hekmatullah Miwandi said: “Overall, we have a strategic five-year plan, and we aim to increase our domestic electricity production by 1,000 megawatts through its implementation.”

The former head of DABS highlighted banking restrictions and the challenge of providing guarantees as significant concerns for foreign investors, noting that these investors seek financial and banking guarantees in Afghanistan to invest in wind and solar energy production.

Amanullah Ghalib, the former head of DABS, told TOLOnews: “The Afghan government needs to invest more in its internal resources and provide financial capabilities, infrastructure, and financial guarantees in addition to investor security. In this scenario, you can be sure that domestic investors, with foreign assistance, will invest in Afghanistan.”

However, some experts view the maintenance and reconstruction of wind and solar energy projects as unprofitable and urge the Islamic Emirate to invest in the construction of hydroelectric dams instead.

Mohammad Asif Stanikzai, an economic expert, told TOLOnews: “I believe that the maintenance, reconstruction, and overall management of solar and wind energy are costly. If the Islamic Emirate focuses on hydroelectric power and dams instead, it will be more effective.”

Statistics show that Afghanistan has the capacity to produce 23,000 megawatts of hydroelectric energy, 222,000 megawatts of solar energy, 58,000 megawatts of wind energy, and over 4,000 megawatts of energy from coal.