The government will begin the installation of solar hybrid power systems across 23 inhabited islands this month in an effort to curb expenditures on petroleum-based electricity, the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy said.
The project, which is slated to commence implementation in May, targets islands across the Kaafu, Alifu Alifu, Alifu Dhaalu, and Vaavu atolls. Preparations for the rollout are finalised, the ministry stated, with prerequisite surveys concluded and essential hardware already in the country.
The hybrid systems are projected to yield a combined output of 5.8 megawatts of energy. This expansion is part of a broader mandate to ensure that renewable sources account for 33 per cent of all electricity generated nationwide by the close of 2030.
The administration aims to double the nation's renewable energy capacity to 220 megawatts over the next two years. Grid upgrades and battery storage enhancements are currently being executed to support this generation growth, the ministry noted in a briefing to PSM News. Design work is proceeding for an 80.3-megawatt-hour battery energy storage framework spanning 38 islands.
Achieving a threshold of at least 200 megawatts of renewable infrastructure is a critical requirement to alleviate the severe financial strain conventional energy production places on the state budget, policymakers have estimated. To advance this objective, the government has launched an expansive 100-megawatt floating solar project situated within the nation’s Special Economic Zone.