Solar Power Hybrid Systems Inaugurated In Thaa Atoll

The government has inaugurated solar photovoltaic (PV) hybrid systems installed on 12 islands in Thaa Atoll.

The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy announced in a statement that these systems will generate 2.5 MW of solar power and store up to 1.9 MW per hour in battery storage systems. The project is expected to save 1.2 million litres of diesel annually, reducing emissions by 3,300 tonnes yearly.

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The Ministry highlighted that this initiative is part of ongoing efforts to prioritise renewable energy and environmental protection, resulting in improved electricity services for the islands in Thaa Atoll through environmentally friendly methods.

This project is a component of the Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable Energy Development (POISED) project, funded by the Asian Development Bank. The POISED project aims to upgrade diesel powerhouses on 160 islands into hybrid systems that utilise solar power and battery storage. To date, work has been completed on 72 islands, creating 13.4 MW of solar power and storing up to 9.8 MWh in batteries.

In 2023, the Asian Development Bank funded a successor project to POISED, named Accelerating Sustainable System Development Using Renewable Energy (ASSURE). The ASSURE project aims to increase private investment in renewable energy, intending to create 20 MW of solar power systems and 40 MWh of battery storage systems across 20 islands in the Maldives.

According to the government, the total capacity of solar-generated power across the Maldives now stands at 57.5 MW. The Ministry expressed gratitude to the Asian Development Bank and other grant institutions for their assistance in developing the energy sector in the Maldives.