The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy has announced that 17.5 MW of renewable energy has been installed across 32 islands under two ongoing projects.
The government aims to increase renewable energy use to 33 percent of total electricity generation in the Maldives.
With the global energy market destabilising due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, special measures are needed to reduce the Maldives’ expenditure on oil. Currently, two major solar hybrid projects are underway, including a 6.5 MW solar hybrid system covering 25 islands in Baa Atoll. According to the ministry, 95 percent of the project is complete.
An 11 MW solar hybrid system is also being installed in several locations including Kulhudhuffushi City, Eydhafushi in Baa Atoll, Hinnavaru in Lhaviyani Atoll, Thinadhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, and Hithadhoo, Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo of Addu Atoll. This project has reached 97 percent completion.
The Maldives currently spends around USD 443 million annually on oil for electricity generation, making energy imports a major economic burden with the rising prices of oil in the global market. Environmental concerns and climate change impacts are also key drivers of the shift toward renewable energy. The current renewable energy capacity in the Maldives is about 110 MW, with plans to double it to 220 MW by the end of the current term. The government aims to ensure that 33 percent of energy generation in the Maldives comes from renewable energy sources by 2028.