1 of 8 | In this photo taken with a phone, Mohammed Saber cleans a solar panel to ensure it charges properly on Oct. 4, 2026, in Teknaf, Bangaldesh. ( AP Photo/Abdul Khan Dkl ) License this photo

ISLAMABAD ( AP ) Every day, Mohammed Saber places a single rectangular solar panel on the roof of the bamboo-and-tarpaulin shack that he and his family have called home for years, the last stop on their journey after fleeing the Myanmar militarys brutal crackdown on the Rohingya in 2017.

The panel is part of a portable solar kit given to the Rohingya refugee family as humanitarian aid six years ago. Its been the familys primary source of electricity, making daily life so much easier in the camp for the displaced in Teknaf, Bangladesh.

We can now charge our phones, cook with light, children can study at night and use fans during the hot season, said Saber, 35.

From the flood zones of Nepal to refugee camps in Africa, experts say that solar energy is increasingly becoming part of disaster relief as technology improves, costs fall and humanitarian organizations recognize that having access to electricity is a fundamental need.

Renewable energy solutions are needed more than ever, they say, as climate change drives and intensifies extreme weather while wars, sanctions and political upheavals keep fossil fuel prices volatile .

Solar energy kits are portable, rechargeable and grid-independent

When disasters strike and humanitarian needs surge, solar kits can become an invaluable resource, says Sarah Rosenberg-Jansen, a research fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute, an independent research and policy institute specializing in sustainable development.

These solar kits all-in-one, compact units that use solar panels and are not reliant on utility companies are easy to move and recharge, according to Rosenberg-Jansen.

In emergency situations, solar kits can be deployed immediately, she said, adding that they are particularly useful in situations with rapidly rising floodwaters, changing front lines in a conflict, or for moving around in areas where damaged roads make it difficult to travel.

In terms of function, the kits can be anything from solar lanterns to solar home systems, solar torches, solar heating pads, to electric cook stoves that use solar as their energy source, she said.

Lower costs of solar energy helped its role in disaster relief

Rosenberg-Jansen also pointed out that solar panels are not prone to price shocks like fossil fuels , which can be difficult and costly to transport to a disaster zone.

Only a few decades ago, solar energy was a luxury, she added, but as technology evolved, mindsets and the price tag changed. Now its more affordable, thanks to the scaling up of mass manufacturing and technology advancement.

Its also so much easier to use, said Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope For Ukraine, a nonprofit based in the United States that provides solar kits to families living in war-torn Ukraine .

We have grandmas and grandpas who are around 75-80 years old ... receiving kits, said Boyechko. Its just a matter of plug ( in ) and play.

Solar panels are becoming more common now.

On the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistans economic hub, a tuberculosis clinic run by Doctors Without Borders uses solar energy. In South Sudans Renk county, the U.N. migration agency installed solar-powered water filtration systems for families displaced by the war in neighboring Sudan.

And after Nepals massive floods in August that killed 1,455 people and left 5,285 missing including hundreds of foreign nationals solar kits were distributed by local and international organizations, including Australia-based charity SolarBuddy.

Funding issues and bureaucracy are still an obstacle in disaster relief

Mark Gibson from Global Platform for Action, or GPA, which promotes affordable, reliable and clean energy access, said that integrating solar energy hasnt come without difficulties.

Aid agencies have had time-tested systems in place, which often include diesel generators as part of long-term leases and agreements. Switching to solar means having to trust new systems and setting up new distribution chains, sometimes in risky environments.

Recent slashes in international donor funding have also undermined or completely erased new practices that were starting to take root, said Aimee Jenks, a program leader at GPA.

Much of the technical expertise in the humanitarian sector on energy has been cut, she said. Thats now retracting a lot of progress.

And while the cost of solar energy has decreased, its still prohibitive for many.

Boyechko, of Hope For Ukraine, said that by the end of 2026, his nonprofit will have distributed over 3,200 kits.

But it took us two years to get to that number, because of funding needs, he said. We have a waiting list of about 20,000 families. We just cannot keep up with demand.

While no energy source is perfect, the move towards renewable energies is likely to decrease reliance on polluting fossil fuels.

For Saber, whose family is among more than 1 million refugees from Myanmars Rohingya ethnic and religious minority now living in Bangladesh, the kit means keeping the lights on.

Its improved my familys life, he said.

Freelancer photographer Ayub Khan Dkl in Teknaf, Bangaldesh, contributed to this report.

The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

伊斯兰堡（美联社）——每天，穆罕默德 · 萨贝尔都会将一块长方形太阳能电池板放在那间竹子和防水布搭成的棚屋屋顶上。多年来，这间棚屋一直是他和家人栖身之所，也是他们 2017 年逃离缅甸军队对罗兴亚人残酷镇压后的最后一站。

这块太阳能板是六年前作为人道主义援助赠予罗兴亚难民家庭的一套便携式太阳能设备的一部分。它一直是这个家庭的主要电力来源，让生活在孟加拉国特克纳夫流离失所者营地的日常生活变得轻松了许多。

" 我们现在可以给手机充电，用灯光做饭，孩子们晚上能学习，热天还能用风扇，"35 岁的萨贝尔（Saber）说道。

从尼泊尔的洪水灾区到非洲的难民营，专家指出，随着技术进步、成本下降以及人道主义组织认识到电力供应是一项基本需求，太阳能正日益成为救灾工作的一部分。

他们表示，可再生能源解决方案比以往任何时候都更为迫切，因为气候变化正在引发并加剧极端天气，而战争、制裁和政治动荡则使化石燃料价格持续波动。

太阳能设备套装具有便携、可充电且不依赖电网的特点。

斯德哥尔摩环境研究所研究员莎拉 · 罗森伯格 - 詹森表示，当灾难发生、人道主义需求激增时，太阳能设备套件可以成为一种极为宝贵的资源。该研究所是一家专注于可持续发展的独立研究与政策机构。

据罗森伯格 - 詹森介绍，这些太阳能套件——集太阳能板于一体、结构紧凑、不依赖电力公司的单元——易于移动和充电。

她说：" 在紧急情况下，太阳能设备可以立即投入使用。" 她还补充道，这些设备在洪水迅速上涨、冲突前线不断变化，或是在道路受损导致出行困难的地区活动时，尤其有用。

她表示，就功能而言，这些套件 " 可以是太阳能灯笼、太阳能家庭系统、太阳能手电筒、太阳能加热垫，乃至以太阳能为能源的电炉灶等各类产品。"

太阳能成本的降低助力其在救灾中发挥作用

罗森伯格 - 詹森还指出，太阳能电池板不像化石燃料那样容易受到价格冲击，而化石燃料运输到灾区既困难又昂贵。

她补充说，就在几十年前，太阳能还是一种奢侈品，但随着技术的发展，人们的观念和价格都发生了变化。如今，得益于大规模制造的扩大和技术的进步，太阳能变得更加经济实惠。

总部位于美国的非营利组织 " 乌克兰希望 " 为饱受战乱的乌克兰家庭提供太阳能设备，其首席执行官尤里 · 博耶奇科表示，这种设备使用起来也方便得多。

" 我们有大约 75 至 80 岁的老爷爷老奶奶……收到了套件，" 博耶奇科说。" 这就像即插即用一样简单。"

如今，太阳能电池板正变得越来越普遍。

在巴基斯坦经济中心卡拉奇的郊区，无国界医生组织运营的一家结核病诊所使用太阳能供电。在南苏丹的伦克县，联合国移民机构为因邻国苏丹战乱而流离失所的家庭安装了太阳能水过滤系统。

在尼泊尔 8 月遭遇特大洪灾、造成 1455 人遇难、5285 人失踪（其中包括数百名外国公民）之后，当地及国际组织纷纷发放太阳能设备，总部位于澳大利亚的慈善机构 SolarBuddy 也参与其中。

资金问题和官僚作风仍是救灾工作中的障碍。

来自全球行动平台（GPA）的马克 · 吉布森表示，推广经济、可靠且清洁的能源获取，其太阳能整合之路并非一帆风顺。

援助机构早已建立起经过时间考验的运作体系，这些体系通常包含柴油发电机，并作为长期租赁和协议的一部分。转向太阳能则意味着必须信任新系统，并建立新的供应链，有时这些工作还需在风险较高的环境中进行。

GPA 项目负责人艾米 · 詹克斯表示，近期国际捐助资金的削减也削弱了——甚至完全抹去了——那些原本开始扎根的新做法。

" 人道主义领域在能源方面的许多技术专长已被削减，" 她说，" 这正在使大量进展倒退。"

尽管太阳能成本已经下降，但对许多人来说，它仍然昂贵得令人望而却步。

来自 " 乌克兰希望 " 组织的博耶奇科表示，到 2026 年底，他的非营利组织将累计分发超过 3200 套工具包。

" 但由于资金需求，我们花了两年时间才达到这个数字，" 他说。" 我们的等候名单上约有 2 万个家庭。我们实在无法满足需求。"

尽管没有哪种能源是完美无缺的，但向可再生能源的转变很可能会减少对污染性化石燃料的依赖。

对于萨比尔来说，这套工具意味着能让灯继续亮着。他的家人是如今生活在孟加拉国的逾 100 万来自缅甸的罗兴亚族难民中的一员，这一族群在民族和宗教上均属于少数群体。

" 这改善了我一家人的生活，" 他说。

孟加拉国特克纳夫的自由摄影师阿尤布 · 汗 · 德克尔为本报道作出了贡献。

美联社的气候与环境报道获得了多家私人基金会的资金支持。美联社对所有内容全权负责。有关美联社与慈善机构合作的标准、支持者名单及受资助的报道领域，请访问 AP.org 查阅。