Wednesday July 17, 2024
Students in a classroom at a Turkish Maarif Foundation school in Mogadishu, Somalia, May 21, 2022. (AA Photo)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia's government plans to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in 200 educational facilities across Banadir, including primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, and Ministry of Education offices. The initiative, part of the Somalia Electricity Sector Recovery Project (SESRP) and funded by the International Development Association (IDA), aims to provide cleaner, more affordable electricity, enhance reliability, and reduce costs.
The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) spearheads the project, which includes battery energy storage systems (BESS) to meet each facility's specific energy needs. To ensure sustainability, the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) outlines the positive and potential negative impacts of solar PV systems and proposes measures to mitigate risks and enhance benefits. The ESMP addresses environmental and social concerns through stakeholder engagement and a comprehensive management plan for all project phases.
Stakeholder consultations, including interviews with facility managers and site surveys, confirmed the feasibility of the solar PV installations. Assessments indicated that the proposed sites, covering both public and private institutions, have adequate space and infrastructure to support the systems.