The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MoPE) in partnership with the Ecowas Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (Ecreee) recently organised a workshop to validate an off-grid solar market assessment report for The Gambia.<\/p>\n
The World Bank-funded initiative has the objective to assess the market for off-grid solar systems and recommend the most realistic market\u2013based mechanism that will lead to scaling up access, using solar technologies supplied by the private sectors.<\/p>\n
Rohey Darboe Bittage, permanent secretary of MoPE, said the Regional Off-grid Electrification Project (ROGEP) is supporting The Gambia and 18 other countries in West Africa, to accelerate the deployment of stand-alone solar PV systems in off-grid areas to increase electricity access by stimulating both public and private sector investments in rural electrification.<\/p>\n
She highlighted the importance of access to electricity, calling it a prerequisite for the establishment of new businesses and for the expansion of existing ones, providing the platform for employment creation, social development, and economic growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs part of our strategy for universal electricity access, The Gambia government has set a target to connect one-third of the rural population through off-grid solutions by 2030, which includes mini-grids and stand-alone home systems,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n
She said The Gambia is participating in the ROGEP, designed specifically to develop a regional market for stand-alone solar home systems and to provide access to financing for solar businesses.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cThe availability of reliable electricity supply that is efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly is one of the cornerstones of The Gambia government\u2019s development aspirations for the energy sector.\u201d<\/p>\n
She then urged the participants to critically review the report and provide valuable inputs to ensure that all aspects of the off-grid solar market in The Gambia are adequately covered.<\/p>\n
Mr Sirreh Jallow, an Ecowas rep, said Ecreee will implement US$ 17.5 million in partnership with national governments of 19 project countries.
\n\u201cEcreee will follow a consultative process with its focal persons in the Ministry of Energy of all project countries and other ROGEP stakeholders to implement this component,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MoPE) in partnership with the Ecowas Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (Ecreee) recently organised a workshop to validate an off-grid solar market assessment report for The Gambia. The World Bank-funded initiative has the objective to assess the market for off-grid solar systems and recommend the most realistic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":2272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[1367,1065,1366,1368,1369],"class_list":["post-2270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-ecowas-centre","tag-gambia-news-everyday","tag-ministry-of-petroleum-and-energy-mope","tag-renewable-energy-and-energy-efficiency-ecreee","tag-world-bank-funded"],"yoast_head":"\n