How much does energy cost in Yemen?

This can be compared to the average price of more than USD 25 cents/kWh that the Government of Yemen currently pays for diesel-based purchased energy from private producers (fee of the rental generators plus cost of fuel).

How much does a solar system cost in Yemen?

Rassam paid about 50 million Yemeni rials (around $90,000 based on the unofficial market exchange rate) for his system, which is considered large by local standards. The average cost of an array is around $10,000. Rassam financed the solar panels with a loan from Al Kuraimi Islamic Bank, one of the country’s largest private lenders.

Does Yemen have solar energy?

Yemen is a sunbelt country with one of the highest levels of solar irradiation and an annual daily sunshine exceeding eight hours. This means that the different solar energy technologies for heating (e.g., Solar Water Heaters (SWHs)) and for electricity production (e.g., solar photovoltaic (PV)) have considerable potential in Yemen.

Why is distributed solar PV important in Yemen?

As most of the population in Yemen live in rural areas and are geographically dispersed, it is costly to connect them to the main grid, making distributed solar PV solutions a critical part of any electrification strategy in Yemen. Figure 1 shows the photovoltaic power potential in Yemen. Figure 1: Photovoltaic (PV) Power Potential

Can the private sector scale up solar power generation in Yemen?

As evident in the previous section, the private sector can play a critical role in scaling up solar power generation in Yemen, especially in the utility-scale and mini-grids sectors.

Who owns a solar power plant in Yemen?

They can be owned and operated by the government (or its public utility), or by a private sector company via a Power Purchase Agreement that typically lasts between 5 and 20 years. In Yemen, there are currently no utility-scale solar power plants in existence.