Somalia Expands Clean Energy Access with International Support Despite Grid Challenges
Somalia is advancing its renewable energy ambitions with significant international backing, despite having some of the lowest electricity access rates in the world, as the nation seeks to leverage its substantial solar and wind potential.
The African Development Fund approved a $23.36 million grant package in December to expand access to clean electricity in Bosaso, in north-eastern Somalia, to address chronic shortages and reduce electricity costs. The Rehabilitation and Expansion of the Bosaso Power Grid project will include the development of new solar power generation capacity, the expansion of the distribution network, and the modernization of metering systems. It will also support the rollout of solar home systems for those without grid access.
The Bank Group’s Lead Operations Advisor for Somalia, Bubacarr Sankareh, said the project will deliver transformative benefits. “This project will change lives in Bosaso for families and small businesses. It will make electricity cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable, and is also a major step toward a stronger and more resilient energy future for Somalia,” Sankareh explained.
Somalia currently has an installed capacity of approximately 400 MW, with roughly 300 MW coming from diesel and 100 MW from solar and wind power. Around 80% of Somalia’s urban population and just 24% of its rural communities have access to electricity, according to World Bank data. Meanwhile, roughly 80% of Somalia’s energy consumption for cooking still comes from biomass fuels, which leads to greater deforestation and biodiversity loss.
In October, the European Union announced $638.6 million in funds for projects focused on modernizing power grids, increasing access to renewable energy, and supporting clean energy projects in nine African countries, with Somalia set to receive $53.3 million to improve access to affordable renewable energy.
The Somali government’s National Transformation Plan sets out ambitious clean energy targets, such as increasing electricity coverage from the current 69.1% to 80% and decreasing the disparity between urban and rural areas. In October, Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, in collaboration with UNDP, held a two-day stakeholder engagement workshop in Mogadishu to validate and advance Somalia’s renewable energy roadmap.
Providing more stable access to electricity is expected to support economic growth by helping businesses operate more reliably, create short- and long-term jobs in the region, and decrease reliance on diesel, which will reduce emissions and support the country’s sustainability goals.
Source: Oilprice.com
