The past months witnessed the entry of more than 20 medium and small companies in the investment sector to the field of solar energy.
The cost of solar energy systems in Sudan ranges between 1000 and 2500 dollars, depending on the size of the project; However, there are demands that solar energy inputs should be exempted from customs duties and taxes in order to encourage its use and make it accessible to the average consumer as one of the appropriate solutions to cope with the severe shortage of electricity in the country.
According to Amira Al-Zubair, who works in the field of marketing solar energy equipment, sales of solar energy systems have remarkably rebounded during the past months, due to the demand for them in residential neighborhoods and agricultural areas.
Al-Zubair told Sky News Arabia that the need to use alternative energies is increasing due to the continuous power cuts and awareness of the advantages of alternative energy in terms of price, abundance and environmental efficiency.
Al-Zubayr indicated that large orders were received from farmers and residents in remote rural areas, which indicates a significant shift in the behavior and concept of energy, especially by farmers who suffer from a clear shortage of electricity and a significant increase in the cost of electricity.
The electricity supply shortage in Sudan reaches 60 percent, while the residential sector accounts for 80 percent of the available supplies, and the rest goes to the industrial sector and others.
severe crisis
The severe shortage of hydro and thermal generation forced the Electricity Company to distribute the supply according to a daily schedule that became known to the Sudanese.
While Sudan’s actual need is about 3,200 megawatts, electricity production fell to 1,820 megawatts before rising slightly, during the past weeks.
Power outages not only affect residential and industrial areas, but also disrupt markets, hospitals and key services.
It is expected that the production of solar energy in Sudan will rise to 2.4 gigawatts annually, during the next ten years.
And in July 2020, work began on the first joint solar energy laboratory between the Sudanese Standards and Metrology Organization and the United Nations Development Program in Sudan, in order to provide inspection and certification services for imported solar systems and support the transition to renewable energy in Sudan.
According to the United Nations Development Program, the chances of converting to solar energy in Sudan are very promising due to the high rates of solar radiation.