Is Madagascar ready for solar power?

With all regions of Madagascar enjoying over 2,800 hours of sunlight per year, the Grande Île is the perfect location for development of solar power, with a potential capacity of 2,000 kWh/m²/year. The Government is counting on this potential to fulfill its objective of providing energy access to 70% of Malagasy households by 2030.

How much solar power does Madagascar have?

With only a 15% connection rate, Madagascar faces a chronic lack of access to electricity, which hampers its economic and social development. However, there is tremendous potential in terms of solar power, estimated at 2,000 kWh/m²/year as a result of the 2,800 hours of annual sunlight the country enjoys.

Does Madagascar have a strong energy network?

Of Madagascar’s 27 million inhabitants, 63% live in rural areas according to data by the World Bank from 2018. This leaves the country with the difficult task of creating a stable, pervasive energy network in order to supply the majority of the population with electricity.

What is Scaling Solar in Madagascar?

Madagascar is currently the fifth country in Africa in which a Scaling Solar tender process was launched, after two tender processes in Zambia, one in Senegal, and another in Ethiopia. It is also the first Scaling Solar project to include solar energy storage requirements by pairing solar with batteries.

Does Madagascar need a hydroelectric power plant?

Much of Madagascar’s renewable electricity supply is sourced from hydroelectric plants, which require substantial improvement in capacity potential. Developing and expanding the network of small hydroelectric power plants in particular is an opportunity that the energy sector must further explore.

Does Madagascar have a business climate?

In the World Bank Group's Doing Business 2018 report that assesses the business climate, Madagascar ranks 184 out of 190 countries for access to electricity. Keenly aware of this challenge, in 2014, the Government of Madagascar decided to embark on intensive reforms to transform the sector.