Israel and Egypt have subjected Gaza to a blockade since Hamas, a Sunni Islamic organisation, took control of the of the 365 square kilometre coastal territory in 2007.

Researchers Mohamed Elnaggar and Ezzaldeen Edwan, at the Department of Engineering at Palestine Technical College, Deir al-Balah, decided to manufacture the turbines locally after their research project, which won a German-Palestinian cooperation grant, hit its first obstacle on the ground.

"The Israeli authorities refused to grant the German partner permission to allow the turbines into the district," the researchers told SciDev.net.