The Maldives consists of 1,190 tiny islands, of which only 33 have an area greater than one square kilometre. The population of about 300.000 inhabitants is highly concentrated on relatively few islands. 85% of the energy demand of the Maldives islands is currently covered by electricity produced by diesel generators. Especially tourism, the most important business sector on the islands (one million tourists every year), consumes much diesel. This causes many problems in the tourist resorts. Noisy diesel generators do not fit to lagoon resorts and their promise of paradise and silence. Their emissions and the transportation of diesel also damage the environment. This is why The meeco Group is strongly engaged in Maldives to expand the use of solar energy.
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Solar energy as a better choice than diesel in Maldives :
• Significantly higher cost of diesel than solar energy
• Amounting in average $ 0,35 /kWh against only $ 0,27 /kWh for solar energy
• Gap between solar energy and diesel costs increasing each year
Benefits of sun2live solar panels:
• An existing diesel generator can easily be switched off between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m
• An average PV-plant of 500kWp can generate cost savings of up to $ 65,000 in a year
The following example shows the calculation for a 500kWp sun2live installation at a hotel resort in the Maldives. As you can easily see, the solar plant can replace at least one diesel generator during daytime. The gap between the red and the black line reflects the energy needs, which are on average met by solar energy.
Following the successful completion of similar projects The meeco Group has concluded in 2014 an agreement with the Villa Group, one of the biggest corporations in the country. The Villa Group and meeco have signed a contract for a project cluster of 4,76 MWp of sun2live solar power capacity. The first sun2live solar installation is being implemented at Maamigili airport and will be able to produce 1,210 kWp. It will be the largest solar installation in the country. With this sun2live installation The meeco Group will be the biggest supplier of renewable energies in the Maldives.
Taking the whole project volume into account, the Villa Group will be able to save up to $244,80 per hour taking into consideration a seven hour solar production. Thus, the usage of solar power is not only a way of avoiding carbon dioxide emissions, but also a very cost-effective approach.
Related articles:
–4,76 MWp Photovoltaic Project cluster for Maldives
–Promising pilot solar project at Maamigili airport of Maldives
