Kuwait turns to residential solar amid energy crisis

 Kuwait’s Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy Ministry is planning to purchase solar energy from its citizens as part of priorities outlined in its 2024-2025 development plan,

Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah reported last week, citing government sources it says have knowledge of the matter.

The initiative aims to encourage citizens to install solar panels on their rooftops and produce electricity which the ministry will purchase at competitive prices, the sources said.

2.5 GW of renewable energy is projected to be generated under the plan, the sources added,

with the ministry currently assessing the project’s economic return on the sector and the installation of solar panels on rooftops among others.

Kuwait has been facing an energy crisis since June.

Kuwait’s energy crisis began in June after a 300 MW steam turbine at the 6 GW Az Zour South power complex went offline as peak load reached 16.81 GW, up 1 GW above June’s record last year.

Extreme temperatures of over 50°C worsened the crisis and caused Kuwait to roll-out daily power cuts nationwide.