Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology has announced that the contractor will take full responsibility for the maintenance of the 5MW solar power system installed on the Hulhule’-Hulhumale’ link road for the next 15 years.
The contractor for the World Bank-funded project is Thailand-based Ensys Company Limited. The installation of the solar power system is financed by the World Bank under the Accelerating Sustainable Private Investment in Renewable Energy (ASPIRE) initiative. Under this, solar panels will be installed on the link road and on the roofs of some buildings in Hulhumale'.
Speaking to PSM News, Director General at the environment ministry Ahmed Ali said the installation and maintenance of the solar panels will be carried out by Ensys Company. He said for the next 15 years, the company will be responsible for solving and managing all the problems encountered in the project.
Additionally, Ali said that the project has looked at a lot of areas where solar panels will be installed. He, however, said that there is not enough vacant space in the city and the highway area is not suitable for many other works. He also said that for safety reasons, on the advice of the contractor and engineers, the extent of the accident in the area and the measures that can be taken to protect the panels have been studied.
Furthermore, Ali said that solar panels have already been installed on the roofs of some housing units in Hulhumale'. He said that the panels will be connected to the main grid very soon. He also said that the construction of steel structures is currently underway to install the solar power system on the vacant area in the middle of the link road and the east side facing the beach.
The project is the largest initiative in the Maldives under the second phase of ASPIRE. The solar power system is expected to significantly decrease the reliance on diesel and allow the government to save USD1.3 million each year.