Page 36 - Energize January 2022

TECHNICAL

Power developments in Africa

Compiled by Roger Lilley, Now Media

Containerised solar mini-grid for Benin Geothermal project gets
underway
Engie PowerCorner, a subsidiary of the French group Engie, will install a containerised solar
mini-grid in Dohouè in southern Benin. The company plans to deploy 22 solar mini-grids in Kenya Electricity Generating Company
rural Benin by 2023. These mini-grids are modular systems which consist of solar panels on a (KenGen) announces the start of drilling
shipping container. The container is equipped with inverters and batteries which store electricity on the Gale Le Koma geothermal site. The
for distribution after sunset or in bad weather. The containerised mini-grid installed in Dohouè Kenyan company, in terms of a contract with
is expected to be powerful enough to provide electricity to 1500 people. the Djibouti Geothermal Energy Development
Office (ODDEG), will drill three geothermal
Gabon to build A new focus on universal wells as part of a geothermal exploration
and exploitation programme supported by
hydroelectric power access the Djiboutian authorities. The wells drilled
will be used to produce steam for a 15 MW
The industrial group Eranove and the The Business Council of Renewable geothermal power plant. This will be a pilot
Gabonese Fund for Strategic Investments Energies of Senegal (COPERES) has signed plant to measure the geothermal potential
(FGIS) are raising €300 million for the a partnership with the Alliance for Rural around Lake Assal. The US$24,73 million
construction of the Ngoulmendjim dam Electrification (ARE) to facilitate the project is funded by the AfDB.
and hydroelectric plant across the Nkomo electrification of rural areas in Senegal.
River in Gabon. The project is entering its Like other countries in sub-Saharan Africa,
financial mobilisation phase. The dam will Senegal is relying on renewable energy Renewable energy at the
form a reservoir over an area of at least 30 to electrify its population. Currently, the heart of green growth
km2. The structure will be equipped with West African country has an electricity
a hydroelectric power plant capable of access rate of 69%, 93% in urban areas and The African Development Bank (AfDB)
delivering 82 MW of power through three less than 50% in rural areas, according to will inject US$25 billion dollars to finance
Pelton turbines. The facility will have a Power Africa. The Senegalese government climate change adaptation and green
maximum height of 38,5 m on foundation, is therefore concentrating its efforts in growth projects in Ivory Coast by 2025.
with a crest width of 635 m. remote areas. Several sectors are part of this initiative,
including renewable energy, green mobility
Kolwezi PV power plant gets financed and smart agriculture, which will create
at least 500 000 jobs in this West African
Numerous investors, including independent power producers and banks, are joining forces country. The AfDB says this support will
to build a solar PV power plant in Kolwezi, in the south-eastern Democratic Republic of enable Ivory Coast to meet the challenges
Congo (DRC). With an expected capacity of 100 MW, the plant will be connected to the DRC’s of the ecological transition and optimise its
national electricity grid. The electricity produced will be fed into the grid of the national share of the 4% that the continent receives
electricity company (SNEL). The plant will also support mining operations, as Kolwezi is itself from the Global Climate Fund.
a mining town. The Lualaba province, where the city is located, has large deposits of copper,
cobalt, uranium and radium.
Kitchen stove and energy
generator wins award
Two more towns in Chad Egyptian wind farm reaches
to be electrified COD status Nigerian company Peachwater’s Powerstove,
a connected, clean energy stove, has
Chadian mini-grid provider Ziz Energie Independent Power Producer (IPP) Lekela been selected to receive the first African
has received a loan of 4 billion CFA Power will soon bring its West Bakr wind Entrepreneur Resilience Initiative (ARIE)
francs (more than €6 million) from the farm in Egypt into commercial operation. award from the US African Development
Development Bank of Central African States The facility comprises 96 wind turbines Foundation (USADF). Powerstove is a
(BDEAC). This financing will enable the 30 km from the town of Ras Ghareb, in connected kitchen stove and energy
electrification of two towns via hybrid solar the Gulf of Suez. The wind farm has an generator from the Peachwater Technology
mini-grids. The towns of Mongo and Ati will installed capacity of 250 MW, with an Solutions Company. Okey Esse, Peachwater’s
be supplied with a solar power plant with annual production capacity of 1000 GWh. CEO, says Powerstove is a clean-burning
a capacity of 2.5 MWp. Each facility will This electricity is sold to the Egyptian stove that generates sustainable energy.
be supported by a 1,5 MW/5 MW battery Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) It uses 70% less fuel, and burns low-cost
storage system, and a 1,5 MW backup under a 20-year power purchase agreement alternatives to carbon dioxide emitting
generator. These installations should (PPA). The North African country’s ambition fuels, including biomass materials, charcoal
provide electricity to 3000 households, is to produce 22% of its electricity from and wood pellets made from sawdust, or
industries and local government services. renewable sources by 2022. agricultural waste.

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