Mogadishu 10 watt solar panel

In June 2020, Somalia's largest electricity provider, BECO, announced the opening of a new solar power plant in the capital city of Mogadishu. BECO is the only company that provides electricity for Mogadishu, Afgooye, Balad, Barawe, Kismayu, Marka, Jowhar and Elasha.

Because Somalia struggles with a lack of electricity and high electric costs, BECO's new solar power plant has the potential to positively impact many people's lives. When it opened, the power plant had the capacity to produce 8 MW.

Despite the widespread use of generators, Somalia has only 106 MW of power nationwide, according to the United States Agency on International Development. The World Bank reported in 2018 that 64% of Somalis didn't have access to electricity.

BECO's solar power plant could have a significant impact on Somalis, lifting many out of poverty. Lack of access to electricity is widely cited as a large contributor to poverty. Without electricity, families don't have a non-polluting source of energy for cooking. Refrigerators are unusable. Children can't do their homework after dark.

Currently, BECO produces 35 MW of power for eight cities, which is much less than its demand of 200 MW. Many Somalis avoid using electricity in order to avoid the monthly costs as 69% of Somalis are currently living in poverty. Power companies in Somalia heavily rely on imported fossil fuels for diesel-powered generators.

BECO is the only company that provides electricity for Mogadishu, Afgooye, Balad, Barawe, Kismayu, Marka, Jowhar and Elasha. Although the company turned to solar power primarily to cut down on the cost of diesel fuel, its decision will have the added benefit of lowering air pollution.