Beyond Compliance: Elevating ESIA Standards for a 300MW Solar Project in Iraq

When environmental, social, and geopolitical risks converge, only strategy-led insight can ensure execution without compromise.

At SgurrEnergy, our Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for a 300MWAC Solar PV Project in Karbala, Iraq was not just a regulatory checkbox — it became a strategic lever to de-risk development, unlock stakeholder confidence, and future-proof energy infrastructure in a high-stakes environment.

Sustainability in Desert Terrain

From the outset, the project demanded a comprehensive approach. The site’s proximity to the Al Razzaza Protected Area, active security threats, hydrological vulnerabilities, and evolving climatic pressures created a complex engineering challenge.

Our baseline climate models factored SSP 2-4.5 and SSP 5-8.5 scenarios, ensuring long-term resiliency in the desert climate. With corrosive soil near a saline lake, we determined the corrosion category using ISO 9223/9224 standards — insights that shaped structural design and coating specifications for critical PV components and balance of systems elements.

Biodiversity-First Engineering

Spotting deceased fish along Al Razzaza Lake triggered a deeper biodiversity review. Using IFC PS6 and IBAT frameworks, our environmental engineering team identified high salinity and industrial pollution as stressors.

Our mitigation plan included:

• Habitat protection and greenbelt restoration

• Water conservation awareness programs for site labour

• Species-specific protections for the Leopard Barbell Fish and migratory birds like the Sociable Lapwing

Even structural choices — such as tower spacing adjustments and anti-collision diverters — were engineered with biodiversity in mind, aligning with global ESG principles.

Engineering Through Instability

Operating in a region with heightened security risks, our team implemented a Security Management Plan aligned with IFC PS4. This covered:

• Perimeter zoning and secure access planning

• Coordinated stakeholder engagement with Ministry officers, army personnel, and local communities

• Full-site monitoring using imported instruments and international-level safety protocols

This approach strengthened trust, enhanced local participation, and reduced operational uncertainties — ensuring a smooth path from design to execution.

Defending Energy Yield Against Adjacent Risk

When plans emerged for a waste treatment plant near the solar boundary, we conducted advanced dispersion modelling and shading analysis.

Recommendations included:

• A minimum 2km buffer zone

• Elevation-based distance planning to mitigate shading losses

• Layout optimisation to safeguard solar panel efficiency and minimise O&M complexities

By factoring these into the owners engineering scope, we ensured uninterrupted performance and compliance.

The Strategic Edge

By embedding long-term ecological, social, and operational risk mitigation from day one, this ESIA didn’t just greenlight a project — it raised its credibility.

Through SgurrEnergy’s insight-driven model, stakeholders could make future-ready decisions while protecting biodiversity, ensuring local security, and aligning with global sustainability frameworks.

Explore more about our work in solar PV, floating solar, and battery energy storage systems to see how we deliver projects designed to last.