- Adailou, a rural community in Djibouti’s Tadjourah region, has switched on its first off-grid solar power station.
- Battery energy storage technology from Huawei, deployed by Proxy Group, complements the solar generation to ensure stable power distribution throughout the community.
Adailou, a rural community in Djibouti’s Tadjourah region, has switched on its first off-grid solar power station, delivering reliable electricity to homes, schools, health centres, and local businesses for the first time.
The 165kW facility, paired with 500kWh of battery energy storage, marks a milestone in Djibouti’s rural electrification drive.
Built with advanced solar modules and energy storage technology, the project is designed to meet the specific challenges of isolated communities where maintenance access is limited, and energy reliability is critical.
At its core are LONGi’s Hi-MO X10 modules, built on HPBC 2.0 cell technology. Specifically designed for high performance in challenging environments, the modules combine high power density (reaching up to 670W per panel) with a superior temperature coefficient of -0.26%/°C and enhanced anti-shading features that cut power loss by more than 70 per cent, according to the company.
These characteristics make the modules particularly well-suited to remote microgrids. The modules offer a low degradation profile of just 1 per cent in the first year and 0.35 per cent annually, thereafter, ensuring sustained output and reliability across decades, even in isolated regions where maintenance access is limited.
Battery energy storage technology from Huawei, deployed by Proxy Group, complements the solar generation to ensure stable power distribution throughout the community. Together, the systems provide a long-term, sustainable solution for off-grid electrification in one of Djibouti’s most underserved areas.
Djibouti’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Yonis Ali Guedi, hailed the inauguration as a breakthrough for equitable energy access.
Naguib Abdallah Mohamed Kamil, Secretary-General at the Prime Minister’s office, emphasised the project’s role in supporting local development, noting its timely delivery ahead of Independence Day celebrations.
Around 65-70 per cent of Djibouti’s energy supply comes from hydropower imports from Ethiopia. Diesel-fuelled thermal power plants generate the remainder of domestic electricity. Only about 60-65 per cent of Djiboutians have access to electricity, with a significant disparity between urban and rural areas.
The country has committed to achieving 100 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035 and is actively developing large-scale solar, wind, and geothermal projects to increase domestic production and energy independence. The first independent power producer (IPP) wind farm, Ghoubet Wind Farm, was commissioned in 2023 with a capacity of 60MW.
For Adailou residents, who have long lived with energy poverty, the off-grid solar project represents a turning point—bringing light to homes, boosting livelihoods and offering a model for rural electrification efforts across Africa.