The Maldives Association for Energy Efficiency (MAEE) is pleased to announce that a research project involving MAEE has been awarded funding under the National Research Fund – Emerging Research Grants (NRF-ERG), administered by The Maldives National University (MNU). The project was officially awarded during the National Research Grants Awarding Ceremony held on 23 June 2026.
The project, titled “Analysis of Household Electricity Consumption for Cooling in Malé Region,” aims to generate the first long-duration, appliance-level dataset on residential air-conditioning electricity consumption in the Maldives. The study will provide critical evidence to better understand the role of cooling in household electricity demand and support future energy efficiency and climate policy development.
The research team is led by Ms. Aminath Shazly, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Technology, The Maldives National University, with Mr. Mohamed Inaz, Executive Director of MAEE, and Ms. Fathimath Raufa Moosa, Deputy Executive Director of MAEE, serving as Co-Investigators.
The 18-month study will involve monitoring the electricity consumption of air conditioners in households across the Malé Region. Using smart electricity monitoring devices installed on all air-conditioning units within participating households, the research will collect appliance-level electricity consumption data and analyse cooling energy consumption, peak demand patterns, and the contribution of air conditioning to total household electricity use.
The study responds to a significant knowledge gap in the Maldives. While air conditioning is widely believed to be a major contributor to household electricity bills and national peak electricity demand, there is currently limited appliance-level data available to quantify its actual impact. The findings are expected to support evidence-based policymaking related to energy efficiency, electricity affordability, demand-side management, and appliance standards and labelling initiatives such as the Hakathari Programme.
As part of the project, the research team will prepare a technical report, policy brief, stakeholder dissemination workshop, and public awareness materials to ensure that the findings are shared with policymakers, utilities, researchers, and the wider public. MAEE will support stakeholder engagement, public outreach, and dissemination of key findings through its communication channels.
This project represents an important step towards strengthening evidence-based energy efficiency policies in the Maldives and will contribute to national efforts to improve energy security, reduce electricity costs, and support climate action.
MAEE congratulates the Principal Investigator, Ms. Aminath Shazly, on securing this grant and looks forward to working closely with MNU and project partners to successfully implement this important research initiative.
