01 May 2018

Bahrain has unveiled the country’s first ‘solar home,’ which is connected to the government’s electricity network through a net metering system.

The system allows individuals and establishments to install and use solar energy in their homes safely, thus saving substantially on monthly utility bills, reported state news agency BNA. It was approved by the Council of Ministers, headed by HRH the Prime Minister, in January after it was earlier passed by the Coordinating Committee under the chairmanship of HRH the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, it added.

The ‘solar home’, which boasts 24 solar panels capable of producing 7.8 kW of electricity, was set up at a cost of BD3,500 ($9,251). The house belongs to Hussein Sanad of Al Mussala area in Jidhafs. The power generated translates to a total capacity of 12,500 units per year and is a third of the annual consumption by the household, said the BNA report.

The solar home was inaugurated by Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza, who pointed out that the project had been completed in two phases. “The first was the EWA completing all official procedures in reviewing engineering details of various components and ensuring they complied with all technical and design requirements as per existing laws and regulations, while the second phase consisted of the actual construction,” he explained.

Dr Mirza said experts and specialists from the Sustainable Energy Unit (SEU) are willing to assist individuals and institutions wishing to install such systems. He said the cost of power produced in this way is much lower than conventional energy.

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