Avikatha project by STELCO
STELCO launched a rooftop solar project ‘Avikatha’ on their 25th anniversary this year.
Source: STELCO
One of the biggest complaints in the Maldives is rent, utility bills and housing. At the same time, everyone has extensively talked about the housing crisis and the cost of rent in the Maldives, and the direction of the conversation shifts to the electricity bills every once in a while.
With the world developing and moving towards eco-friendly and more sustainable methods when it comes to energy, it appears that the Maldives is still stuck in their old-fashioned ways. After years of people complaining about the powerhouse producing toxic fumes and loud noises that disrupt people's lives, State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) is finally moving towards building better powerhouses this year.
However, this might not be the end of STELCO's plans when it comes to development in the energy sector. On the 20th of June, in celebration of their 25th anniversary, STELCO launched a rooftop solar project ‘Avikatha’.
Under this project, if applicants meet all the requirements they can make a profit by renting out their rooftop to STELCO in order to install solar panels.
The conditions include:
- Having permission from the owner of the building being registered for the project
- The roof must have a minimum of 100 square feet
- Must be able to withhold a weight of 150 kilograms
- Must have direct sunlight on the roof
STELCO will be paying the owner of the house on an instalment basis depending on how many panels can be installed on the roof. From 4-20 panels the owner will be paid a MVR 20 rate, from the 21st panel to 40 panels MVR 30 and for each panel from the 41st panel onwards the owner will be paid a MVR 45 basis for each additional panel.
With the registration for this project has been opened since July of 2022, the application process has been opened for households of Male’ and other islands/atolls where STELCO provides their services.
Hopefully, this is the first step towards making solar-power energy more common in the Maldives so that the country can move towards a more sustainable method of energy production.
