Lycée Iman is a school in Nouakchott, Mauritania, with over 500 pupils from nursery age to seniors.
The school’s management decided to invest in a multi-faceted educational sustainability initiative which would help its pupils to learn about solar energy, water sustainability and waste management. The most ambitious part of the programme was for the entire school to become self-sufficient in solar energy.
Because the city’s electricity grid is unreliable they had for many years relied on a 65 kVA generator to run their air conditioning units, lighting and educational aids during blackouts.
Several obstacles to energy independence lay ahead!
An initial site survey by the school’s chosen solar installation partner, SEEMA SOLAR, found that the AC electricity distribution already in place – wiring, switches and sockets – was in a dangerous condition such that it was exposing students and staff to risk.
Seema Solar’s three month installation project began with re-wiring switches and outlets in order that their new power supply would be safe for use.
As part of that renewal, the old air conditioning units and fridges were replaced with more energy-efficient models in order to optimise the school’s overall power consumption. As a result, since December 2025, the school has been self-sufficient in electricity. The new installation is grid-tied so that the electricity grid can provide back-up power if required.
The introduction of reliable power has brought forward an evolution in the school’s teaching practices: in the past, lessons were mainly conducted using chalk and blackboard – whereas today, it uses video projectors. There’s been a transition to digital learning too – a major advancement which has improved the quality of education and brought the school up-to-date with today’s educational needs.
Regardless of network blackouts in the city outside, the school’s power – including lighting, IT, and educational devices – is now guaranteed.
SEEMA designed, supplied, and installed a 72 solar panels. 30 kWh of Lithium storage and an AC output power of 50 kVA.
The power installation consists of:
- 24 kWp of single-phase low-voltage PV modules
- 3 SmartSolar MPPT 250/100 solar charge controllers
- 3 MultiPlus-II 48/10000/140-100 panels
- 1 Fronius SYMO 20 AC Inverter
- 6 Lith-Tech TBX4000 / 51V-100Ah batteries
- A Cerbo GX provides data communications between devices, live system data to the GX Touch 70 local user interface, and also remote access allowing Seema to monitor and manage the system instantly via Victron Remote Management VRM.
With uninterrupted power supply 24/7 the school is proud to have reached this important milestone of transitioning to clean energy. The “Green Iman” project uses the electrical grid very little and the generator has been removed.
Students are made aware of the challenges of future energy and eco-friendly practices, while some teachers integrate these themes into their teaching methods to raise awareness from an early age.
Seema Solar undertook the entire project themselves, from technical design and equipment procurement, through to the commissioning of the solar installation.
Seema will support Lycée Iman in the longer-term, offering continuous technical partnership to ensure the system’s flawless performance and reliability. Seema also takes the opportunity of this initiative to teach students and staff about renewable energy.
Moctar ETHMANE – owner at SEEMA SOLAR – says: “The main challenge was, above all, the financial aspect. In Mauritania, there are very few support mechanisms for this type of initiative, and the school had to finance the project entirely from its own funds to transition to solar energy.”
“Another major challenge was the initial condition of the electrical installation, which did not meet standards. From our very first contact with the school, this was identified as a critical issue,” he says.
The school is located at the edge of the Sahara desert – unsurprisingly intense heat is often an obstacle to work. Frequent voltage drops on the electricity grid prevented the air conditioning from functioning properly – a situation which directly affected learning and sometimes impacted on students’ health.
Moctar says that they are particularly satisfied to have ensured a stable power supply which provides students with a safer, more comfortable, and more suitable learning environment.
The project was a major investment for Lycée Iman. The funds used for the sustainable power transition were their own. In tribute to the school’s management team, Moctar says: “Most importantly, we are proud of the quality of the collaboration with the school’s management, who trusted us from the beginning and fully supported the implementation of this project.”
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Let’s take a look at the school and what has been achieved:
