IRENA, ADFD to fund renewable energy projects in four developing countries

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said Saturday that it will work with a fund in Abu Dhabi to channel 44.5 million U.S. dollars to four renewable energy projects in Marshall Islands, Niger, Seychelles and Solomon Islands.

The government-controlled Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) will support "a diverse set of projects including a hybrid micro-grid project employing solar photovoltaic systems," said IRENA in an e-mailed press release.

The other three funded projects are about advanced lithium-ion batteries, hydropower and an integrated wind and solar energy system, according to the energy agency.

In the Marshall Islands, a 4.6-megawatt hybrid micro-grid project using solar cells and advanced lithium-ion batteries will be built to provide renewable energy to more than 16,000 people in the country.

The project in Niger aims to use 2.1-megawatt solar photovoltaic micro-grids and solar home kits to bring electrical power to 150,000 people and 100 schools in rural areas.

The Seychellois government will launch a solar PV utility scale project to reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels, while the Solomon Islands will use the funds to support a government-backed 20-megawatt reservoir dam and hydropower facility.

The funding facility is aimed at putting in place a process "which supports transformational and replicable projects that can potentially bring sustainable energy to millions of people around the world," IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin said.

"The UAE's commitment to advancing sustainable energy transitions in countries around the world has been unwavering," said Ali Al Shafar, the permanent representative of the United Arab Emirates to IRENA.

"Our renewable energy development aid has been growing significantly to more than 900 million dollars. This is a testament of our belief in the vital role of renewable energy in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and universal access to modern energy," he said.

Since 2013, through the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility, 189 million U.S. dollars have been allocated to 19 projects around the world.

source: Xinhua