Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the Maldives
The production and consumption of electricity is one of the fastest growing sectors in the Maldives, driven by increased electrification of inhabited islands as well as growth in tourism and other economic activities. The total electricity generated in 2011 reached over 428 GWh for the entire Maldives including the capital city Male’ and its surrounding islands (referred to as greater Male’ region). Despite this high level of electrification, there is no single national grid, and each inhabited island, resort and industrial islands have their own power generation and distribution facilities. This leads to a high level of energy waste resulting from inefficient air conditioning, lighting and other electrical appliances and processes.
The Maldives has a cabinet-level ministry responsible for the development of the energy sector, a national regulatory authority to oversee sector related regulations and state owned utilities to manage and operate utility services. However these organizations are constrained by limited capacity, human and financial resources. They are also unable to attract and retain sufficient private sector investment in the energy sector to implement the Governments ambitious energy sector development plans.
Maldives SREP IP aims to unlock this potential by supporting the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. By leveraging other sources of funding, the SREP IP will help to design projects, and provide financing and risk mitigation instruments. It will also assist with thedevelopment of a system of quality resource data for both electricity and non-electricity applications.
Solar energy is the most suitable and affordable technology for the Maldives due to the high levels of sunshine it receives throughout the year. It will continue to be the main focus of SREP IP investments, with a view to increasing its share in the overall RD&E portfolio to achieve the targets set out in the RD&E Strategy. For more details please visit generator maldives
Renewable Energy (RE) technologies such as wind, biomass, and tidal power can potentially complement the solar PV component of the Maldives RD&E portfolio. In particular, wind could be a useful technology to maximize diesel savings and minimize the cost of energy storage.
Energy Efficiency can also play a major role in the Maldives SREP IP by reducing energy consumption on both the supply and demand sides. This can be achieved by improving the efficiency of existing power generators and distribution networks, and by encouraging the use of efficient air conditioning,lighting, motors, and appliances in both residential and commercial buildings. By promoting energy efficiency, the Maldives SREP IP can contribute to reducing the need for expensive diesel imports and minimizing environmental impact.