A preliminary feasibility of roof-mounted solar PV systems in the Maldives

The small economy and the fragile environment of the Maldives necessitate the use of indigenous and clean resources for electricity generation. The country is mostly dependent on imported fossil fuels for electricity generation, which makes the cost of energy generation high and lowers energy security. Therefore, to reduce the energy costs, limit energy crisis problems, and minimise global warming, a techno-economic feasibility study has been undertaken to investigate the prospects of roof-mounted PV systems on the islands of the Maldives. This study estimated the gross roof area and total PV potential for Hulhumalé Island, and investigated the economic and environmental prospects of roof-top PV systems on the island considering total production cost, cost of energy, the level of contributions from PV and the resulting impact on GHG emissions. The research found that, depending on the available roof area, there is potential for generating 4.8 GWh to 8.0 GWh of electricity from rooftop PV systems on Hulhumalé Island in a year. From the economic analysis, it is evident that roof-mounted PV systems have significant potential for reducing diesel generator use and diesel fuel imports, minimising energy generation costs, helping to ameliorate the energy crisis and contributing to the reduction of global warming.