A Chinese company has been tasked with developing a system to generate power across all residential islands in Thaa Atoll using solar energy.
The project to establish a solar PV-battery-diesel hybrid power system in 12 Thaa Atoll islands was awarded to China’s Sino Soar Hybrid Technology in a ceremony conducted today at the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT).
When the project is completed, 2.5 megawatts of power will be generated utilizing solar energy, the environment ministry said. The project will also include the installation of a 975-kilowatt battery energy storage system (BESS), 3,180 meters of cabling, and a modern generator control panel.
According to the environment ministry, the initiative will save around 1.2 million liters of diesel, or MVR 12 million, and will avoid approximately 2,900 tones of CO2 emissions per year.
The project was given a 365-day completion deadline.
According to the environment ministry, as part of the government’s Strategic Action Plan, initiatives to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote energy sustainability in the Maldives have begun to be implemented through the acquisition of available renewable energy devices.
To meet the net zero aim, the government intends to transition to solar energy, with at least 50 megawatts of hybrid solar systems planned to be built in the Maldives over the next two years. The island nation now generates 36.5 megawatts from solar energy.
