Solar power is a ray hope for the Middle East's most electrified nation
Yemen's largest solar plant helps to relieve electricity shortages, especially in Aden. Residents and businesses who suffer from the heat of summer are also benefitted.
The Aden Solar Power Plant, funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and operating since July 2024 marks a major shift in the Middle East towards renewable energy. According to the International Energy Agency, Aden is the least electrified country.
Yemen has suffered from an electricity crisis for almost 30 years due to fuel shortages, and a war which caused serious damage to the power infrastructure.
Sabri al Maamari, an employee at the plant, said that the 120 megawatt plant, located north of Aden, the interim seat for Yemen's internationally recognized government, supplies electricity to 150,000 to 170,000 households daily.
"Power outages caused damage to goods and when we returned them to the suppliers they refused to accept them. This left us, as merchants, with the loss," Mubarak Qaid said, who runs a supermarket in this city.
According to the IEA solar power accounted for only 10.4% in Yemen's total electric generation by 2023. However, with a second phase planned of the Aden Solar Power Plant to double its output capacity, it is expected that this figure will rise.
(source: Reuters)
