MIGA issues guarantees for solar-plus-storage hybrid in Somalia

• The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), part of the World Bank Group, said that it has actually offered guarantees of USD 5.67 million (EUR 5.3 m) on behalf of a solar-plus-storage project in Somalia.

The project was developed by Norwegian renewables solid Kube Energy in collaboration with the government of the South West State of Somalia, and funded as well as more established in collaboration with Africa-focused CrossBoundary Energy, MIGA stated.

The group will construct a solar PV farm of around 2.8 MW with 4.8 MWh of battery storage integrated with synchronised diesel generators. The website lies in the city of Baidoa, a regional trading hub with a growing population of individuals displaced as a result of conflict and drought.

MIGA said that its guarantee will cover Kube Energy's equity as well as debt investments in Kube Energy Somalia LLC for a period of up to 15 years against the risks of expropriation and also war and also civil disruption.

At first, the hybrid solar system will certainly serve the United Nations compound in Baidoa under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Kube Energy. The project could potentially be further supported through PPAs with various other global organisations, government offices and also civil services, as well as there is also prospective to expand the plant's capacity to power communities throughout the city with a regional energy, MIGA said.

According to the agency, Somalia has an approximated electrification rate of around 35% and the total installed grid-connected generation capacity of 138 MW. As it stands, the UN is one of the largest self-generators in the nation, having some 65 MW of own diesel generators. The brand-new solar-based hybrid system will certainly enable the organisation to cut diesel consumption as well as support the development of neighborhood energy facilities as much of it was ruined in Somalia's inner conflict.

The project is MIGA's first in Somalia. The power plant will certainly be in commercial operation for 15 years, after which the possession will certainly be moved to regional authorities.