Solar home lights up green dreams

Manama : As the summer approaches and the temperature begin to soar, many in the Kingdom can expect their electricity bill to do the same. However, for Hussein Sanad of Al Mussala area, it will be a different scenario altogether. 

He will not have to worry about spending steeply on electricity bills this summer, as his home in Jidhafs has been transformed to become the first ever ‘solar home’ in the kingdom, thanks to the efforts of Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza. 

The house, which generates its own power and avoids driving the power bill through the roof, is also connected to the government electricity network via the newly introduced Net Metering system. 

The BD3,500 project, completed by installing 24 solar panels to produce 7.8 kW of electricity, translates to a total capacity of 12,500 units per year and is equal to a third of the annual consumption by the household.

The house is also the first to be connected to the government network with a Net Metering system that allows individuals and establishments to install and use solar energy in their homes or facilities safely, thus saving substantially on monthly utility bills.

“The cost of power produced in this way is much lower than conventional energy,” said Dr Mirza inaugurating the project in the presence of Capital Governor Sheikh Hesham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa and other senior officials. 

Also present were officials of the Ministry of Oil, the Ministry of Housing, Tatweer Petroleum, the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA), the Sustainable Energy Unit and the project contractor.

The minister also reminded about the substantial savings the project brings on monthly utility bills. “Experts and specialists from the Sustainable Energy Unit are willing to assist individuals and institutions to install such systems,” Dr Mirza said. 

The system was approved by the Council of Ministers, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister in January, after it was passed by the Coordinating Committee under the chairmanship of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. 

The project, Dr Mirza said, was completed in two phases. In the first phase, EWA completed all official procedures for engineering works to ensure its technical and design compliance with the existing laws and regulations. Actual construction was part of the second phase. 

The Minister said this and other renewable energy projects had been implemented as part of the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.

Looking ahead, the minister said the EWA would continue to find alternatives to increase the efficiency of energy use and its economic feasibility by arranging finance through banks. 

He added: “Steps are being taken to maximise the use of solar energy by installing such systems in factories, schools, hospitals and health centres.”

Dr Mirza thanked Oil Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa; Housing Minister Bassem bin Yaqoub Al-Hamer; the officials of the Sustainable Energy Unit and all those who cooperated and worked on this pilot project.