Maldives reopens 40MWh battery storage tender for island solar

• The Republic of Maldives has actually reopened a tender procedure, looking for to procure 40MWh of battery power storage systems (BESS) in a power transition project supported by World Bank funding.

The South Asian island country's Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and also Technology introduced the reopening today. Qualified prospective buyers have actually been given until 1pm local time on 27 October 2022 to send their completed bids however must register with the Maldives Ministry of Finance between 4 August as well as 20 October first.

Funding assistance has been approved from the World Bank with its Accelerating Renewable Energy Integration as well as Lasting Power (ARISE) Project for the country as well as the Maldives government will use part of that funding towards the price of making payments to BESS providers under contract.

Tendering will certainly be done in two whole lots. The very first will be for 23MW/23MWh of BESS at 7 various regions of the country, the 2nd for 13.5 MW/17MWh of BESS at 8 places on the Laamu Atoll islands as well as four various other sites.

Bidding is open for both whole lots simultaneously as well as individuals may bid in both if they select.

Contracts will certainly cover layout, supply, setup and also commissioning of BESS as well as energy administration systems (EMS) which will certainly allow them to optimise operation of solar PV-plus-diesel generator nuclear power plant around the islands.

According to World Bank guidelines for procurements, the Maldives Ministry of Finance will certainly carry out the tender via a global affordable procurement process based upon Requests for Bids.

As reported by Energy-Storage. news just over a year ago as the government initially launched the tender, the ARISE programme is sustaining the implementation of 30MW of solar PV across the islands, and also the batteries will be crucial to allowing the renewable energy being made use of effectively.

Some vital details appear to have actually altered considering that the June 2021 launch of the original tender, which was provided in two lots of 24MW/24MWh and also 16MW/16MWh, but again adding up to a complete 40MWh of battery storage. Tender records from 2021 likewise show up to cover a broader extent of services, referring to contracts for supply, install, commission, operate and also transfer of BESS.

Energy-Storage. news has actually reached out to the World Bank and the Maldives Ministry of Finance to ask why the tender is being reopened and what represent the differences in between last year's issued bid documents as well as this year's.