Monday June 23, 2025
FILE - A hybrid solar power plant under construction in Baidoa, Somalia. Developed by Kube Energy in partnership with the South West State government and backed by the World Bank’s MIGA, the facility will supply clean power to the United Nations and local institutions. The 2.8 MW plant includes battery storage and diesel backup and is expected to transition to state ownership after 15 years. (Photo courtesy of Kube Energy/ World Bank)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia plans to triple its renewable energy capacity by 2030, aiming to reduce high electricity costs, expand access in rural areas, and break its dependency on imported diesel fuel.
The new strategy, developed with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), projects an increase in renewable capacity from 54 megawatts in 2023 to 392 megawatts by the end of the decade. The plan also targets a 30% rise in off-grid generation, with a focus on hard-to-reach regions like Galmudug and Jubaland.
The IRENA report entitled 'Energy Transition Assessment: Somalia', released this week, outlines the plan in detail, which includes a 30% expansion of off-grid power in hard-to-reach regions like Galmudug and Jubaland and the rollout of cleaner cooking technologies, including biogas and solar cookers.
“This is about building a reliable system from scratch,” said Abdullahi Bidhan Warsame, Somalia’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources. “We are not just talking about access to electricity. We are talking about powering healthcare, schools, water supply, and livelihoods.”
The report identifies solar and wind as Somalia’s best options. Solar irradiation reaches 6–8 kWh/m² daily across most of the country, and wind speeds in Puntland and Somaliland average 9–10 meters per second — among the best in East Africa. However, decades of underinvestment mean there is no national grid, and regulatory agencies remain underdeveloped.
The report calls for updated solar and wind atlases, a centralized geographic database, and a national energy donor coordination body. A new regulatory framework for licensing, grid connections, and power purchase agreements (PPAs) is also needed.
Source: Global Solar Atlas (ESMAP, 2019); base map from UN boundaries. Additional maps available on the IRENA Global Atlas for Renewable Energy platform.
Notes: km = kilometre; kWh/m² = kilowatt-hours per square metre.
Disclaimer: Map is for illustrative purposes only. Boundary lines do not imply IRENA endorsement or official recognition.
Somalia has among the highest electricity costs in Africa, averaging $0.60 to $1.00 per kilowatt hour — triple the regional average. About 80% of the population lacks grid access.
The energy sector is dominated by fragmented, privately operated diesel mini-grids, which remain inefficient and under-regulated. The IRENA report warns that without reforms and investment, Somalia will remain locked in a cycle of high costs and limited access.
Somalia passed an Electricity Act in 2023, but full implementation—including standardized tariffs, licensing, and technical regulations—has lagged. Officials say building a national utility and expanding the capacity of the National Electricity Authority will be essential to attract private investment and cut energy costs.
The Somali diaspora could also help bridge the gap. Remittances exceeding $1.3 billion a year already finance solar systems, micro-grids, and backup generators. Analysts say channelling that capital through formal pathways—especially in regions outside Mogadishu—would accelerate energy access and spur small business growth.
One model already in place is a hybrid solar plant in Baidoa. Developed by Norwegian firm Kube Energy in partnership with the Southwest State government, the facility supplies power to the UN and local institutions. The 2.8 MW system includes battery storage and diesel backup and will transfer ownership to the state after 15 years.
IRENA recommends expanding such public-private partnerships through UN-backed PPAs and leveraging Somalia’s diaspora for independent power producer (IPP) investments.
The report highlights the need to train a new generation of energy technicians. It urges Somalia to create a national education and training strategy, mandate technical qualifications, and make project-based training materials publicly available.
The strategy also calls for a shift in how Somalis cook. More than 90% of households use firewood or charcoal, contributing to deforestation and respiratory illness. Biogas digesters, solar cookers, and clean briquettes are being piloted in cities like Beledweyne and Garowe.
The roadmap is expected to inform Somalia’s updated climate commitment, known as NDC 3.0, ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil. Somalia is a signatory to the COP28 pledge to triple renewable power and double energy efficiency by 2030.
Although Somalia’s energy emissions are among the lowest globally, the report argues the country can still play a major role in regional climate resilience by leapfrogging into a clean energy economy.
“Somalia has no legacy infrastructure to dismantle,” said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera. “That gives it a unique opportunity to build a low-carbon, inclusive energy system from the ground up.”