The Ministry of Tourism and Environment has begun foundation construction for the installation of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Fuvahmulah City.

The BESS will be housed within the Fuvahmulah power station compound, enabling seamless connection to the island’s electricity grid and improving overall energy management. Once installed, the 2-megawatt BESS will support a corresponding 2-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system, increasing the share of solar energy in Fuvahmulah’s power generation mix and advancing national clean-energy goals.

The project forms part of the Government’s initiative to expand sustainable energy solutions across the Maldives. Under the Accelerating Sustainable System Development Using Renewable Energy Project, a Chinese company has been contracted to install a total of 38 megawatt-hours of battery energy storage capacity, along with energy management systems, across 18 islands. The systems will vary in size between 500 kilowatt-hours and 3,000 kilowatt-hours depending on island demand.

The Ministry stated that the primary objective of the programme is to increase reliance on renewable energy and reduce dependence on diesel-based electricity generation. This aligns with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s target of generating 33 per cent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2028.

Once operational, the nationwide 38 megawatt-hour BESS installations are expected to save approximately 8.4 million litres of diesel each year, reducing fuel expenditure by an estimated MVR 125 million annually.