- Solar-hybrid systems have been commissioned across 25 islands in Raa and Baa atolls, combining 6.36 MW of solar capacity with 10 MW battery storage, expected to cut diesel use by over three million litres annually.
- The installations, part of the POISED project with ADB and EIB support, will generate about 10.4 GWh of clean electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by roughly 8,400 tonnes each year.
- Solar-hybrid systems are completed on 72 islands with 23 more under construction by 2027, supporting the Maldives' target of 33 percent renewable electricity by 2028.
The Maldives has expanded renewable electricity generation across 25 islands in Raa and Baa atolls with the commissioning of solar-hybrid systems expected to reduce annual diesel consumption by more than three million litres.
The installations combine 6.36 megawatts of peak solar photovoltaic capacity with a 10 MW battery energy-storage system. They were inaugurated in R. Kinolhas under the Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable Energy Development project, implemented by the government with the Asian Development Bank and European Investment Bank.
The systems are projected to generate around 10.4 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity annually and reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by approximately 8,400 metric tonnes each year.
“The shift to solar reduces our fuel bill year after year, easing pressure on the national budget and strengthening the Maldivian economy,” Minister of State for Climate Change, Environment and Energy Dr Muaviath Mohamed said.
Dr Muaviath said the initiative would be extended to further islands over the coming years.
Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Ali Shareef presided over the inauguration. The ceremony was also attended by Fenaka Corporation Managing Director Mohamed Afeef Hussain, Public Service Media Managing Director Ahmed Shakeeb, officials from the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, and representatives of the Kinolhas Council.
Under the wider POISED project, solar-hybrid systems are planned for 160 islands, with a combined solar photovoltaic capacity of 19.8 MW and battery storage capacity of 20.6 MW.
Solar-hybrid systems have so far been completed on 72 islands, providing 13.4 MW of solar capacity and 10.6 MW of battery storage. The work has also included grid upgrades, energy-management systems and 27 MW of supplementary diesel-generation capacity for backup.
Projects on a further 23 islands are under construction and are expected to be completed by 2027.
The programme supports the Maldives’ target of generating 33 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2028. The goal is also included in the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement.
