Why is solar energy maintenance important in Timor-Leste?

Maintenance tends to be limited to repairing malfunctioning system components, instead of preventative care or servicing, which can reduce the effectiveness of solar energy systems and increase costs. Technicians in Timor-Leste have experience in small-scale, off-grid solar energy systems.

How long does a solar system last in Timor-Leste?

High electricity costs and readily available solar radiation mean that the average payback period for a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) solar energy system in Timor-Leste is only 1.5 to 3 years instead of the global average of 6-10 years. Transitioning to solar can also help the country meet environmental commitments.

Does Timor-Leste need a roof-top solar energy system?

In addition, most of Timor-Leste's electricity is generated through costly and polluting diesel generators. Australia's Market Development Facility (MDF) and ITP Renewables conducted an assessment of the potential market for roof-top solar energy systems in Timor-Leste.

What is energy security in Timor-Leste?

1 Energy security is “uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price”; International Energy Agency. The average payback period for a rooftop PV solar energy system in Timor-Leste is 2.5 years. This is much lower than the global average of 6 to 10 years, due to solar resource and electricity costs:

Is Timor-Leste a good country for solar energy?

Timor-Leste has a high-quality solar resource. The global horizontal irradiance in Dili is higher than on the east coast of Australia, where the solar market is mature and installation costs are higher. The cost of electricity in Timor-Leste for commercial and industrial consumers is high compared to ASEAN countries.

Does Timor-Leste have electricity?

Timor-Leste has rapidly expanded electricity access to more than 83 per cent of the population but the country has yet to achieve energy security.1 Consumer costs, even with government subsidy, remain high and outages are common. In addition, most of Timor-Leste's electricity is generated through costly and polluting diesel generators.