Jun 2, 2025 · Guinea-Bissau has a single public energy concessionaire, EAGB (Electricity and Water of Guinea-Bissau), which is responsible for the transportation, distribution and trading of
The electricity sector in Guinea Bissau is in the midst of a transformational reform towards a sustainable development characterized by reliable, greener and affordable service delivery.
In Bissau, solar photovoltaic (PV) plants will help reduce the average cost of electricity in the country and diversify the energy mix, while battery storage will help integrate this variable energy source into the grid. In Bafata, Gabu and Cacheu, the PV plants will provide cheaper and cleaner local power generation than current diesel production.
8. Around US$ 263 million of public and private funding will be needed to achieve universal electricity access in Guinea Bissau by 2030. To achieve this goal, a combination of grid (70%) and off-grid (30%) solutions will be required to bring 400,000 additional new connections18.
Guinea-Bissau has one of the lowest electrification rates in Sub-Saharan Africa with only 29 percent2 of the population -around 53 percent in urban areas- having access to electricity (Figure 1).
The associated ECOWAS regional access project will boost electricity access in Guinea-Bissau to 39 percent16. The OMVG will have around 300 km of a 225 kV transmission line in Guinea Bissau, and four high-voltage 225/30 kV substations (Mansoa, Bissau, Bambadinca and Saltinho).
An additional 30 MW of solar PV in Bissau, 36 MW in countryside cities and two solar PV mini-grids in the Bijagos islands could be developed according to a feasibility study completed in April 2020 with the support of the World Bank and ESMAP.
The global residential solar storage and inverter market is experiencing rapid expansion, with demand increasing by over 300% in the past three years. Home energy storage solutions now account for approximately 35% of all new residential solar installations worldwide. North America leads with 38% market share, driven by homeowner energy independence goals and federal tax credits that reduce total system costs by 26-30%. Europe follows with 32% market share, where standardized home storage designs have cut installation timelines by 55% compared to custom solutions. Asia-Pacific represents the fastest-growing region at 45% CAGR, with manufacturing innovations reducing system prices by 18% annually. Emerging markets are adopting residential storage for backup power and energy cost reduction, with typical payback periods of 4-7 years. Modern home installations now feature integrated systems with 10-30kWh capacity at costs below $700/kWh for complete residential energy solutions.
Technological advancements are dramatically improving home solar storage and inverter performance while reducing costs. Next-generation battery management systems maintain optimal performance with 40% less energy loss, extending battery lifespan to 15+ years. Standardized plug-and-play designs have reduced installation costs from $1,200/kW to $650/kW since 2022. Smart integration features now allow home systems to operate as virtual power plants, increasing homeowner savings by 35% through time-of-use optimization and grid services. Safety innovations including multi-stage protection and thermal management systems have reduced insurance premiums by 25% for solar storage installations. New modular designs enable capacity expansion through simple battery additions at just $600/kWh for incremental storage. These innovations have improved ROI significantly, with residential projects typically achieving payback in 5-8 years depending on local electricity rates and incentive programs. Recent pricing trends show standard home systems (5-10kWh) starting at $8,000 and premium systems (15-20kWh) from $12,000, with financing options available for homeowners.