Where is Ivory Coast's first solar power plant located?

Boundiali (Ivory Coast) (AFP) – The sun beats down from a cloudless sky on the town of Boundiali, where Ivory Coast's first solar power plant embodies the drive to embrace clean energy without abandoning fossil fuels. Issued on: 07/06/2024 - 11:51 Modified: 07/06/2024 - 11:49

How many solar plants will Ivory Coast have?

The Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Mines, Oil, and Energy has unveiled plans to build 12 solar plants with a total capacity of 678 MW. Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, the Ivory Coast’s Minister of Mines, Oil and Energy, has announced plans to install 678 MW of solar capacity by 2030 and 1,686 MW by 2040.

Which companies are developing solar power plants in Ivory Coast?

The Egyptian company Elsewedy Electric is also among the potential developers of the Laboa and Touba solar plants. The same goes for Infinity Power Holding and Nareva Holding, the subsidiary of the Moroccan group Al Mada. The selected IPPs will build solar power plants capable of delivering 60 MWp to the national grid in Ivory Coast.

Who financed the Ivory Coast solar power station?

The 75.6-million-euro ($82.1-million) cost of building the solar power station was financed by Ivory Coast, a German loan and a European Union grant. "This is the result of the EU's long-standing commitment to the renewable energy sector, with almost 140 million euros since 2017," EU ambassador to Ivory Coast Francesca Di Mauro told AFP.

Where does Ivorian energy come from?

Solar power is currently a small part of the Ivorian energy mix -- the Boundiali plant contributes just one percent of national production. Nearly 70 percent of the country's electricity comes from gas-fired thermal power plants, while hydroelectric power stations account for the rest, all located in the south.

Does Ivory Coast need fossil fuels?

By 2030, Ivory Coast has pledged to increase its share of renewable energy to 45 percent, including nine percent solar, and to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent. Fossil fuels however still play a key role. The West African nation recently discovered two huge oil and natural gas deposits.