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Globeleq begins work on grid-scale

solar, storage project in Mozambique

MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA-FOCUSED IPP Globeleq and Euro- Globeleq in 2015 with 1,200 MW of operational
pean government-backed Private Infrastruc- power plants. Today, Globeleq has more than
ture Development Group (PIDG) have officially 1,400 MW of operational power plants in 28
broken ground on a 19-MW solar plant and a locations across six countries, with a further 305
7-MWh energy storage power in Cuamba in MW in construction and more than 500 MW
northern Mozambique. due to reach financial close in 2021, of which
The $32mn project is one of the first IPP grid- Cuamba is a part.
scale storage plants in sub-Saharan Africa. “We are delighted to be supporting Mozam-
The Cuamba Solar project will provide clean bique’s demand for new renewable energy supply
energy to 18,000 households and support job across the country; 7 in 10 people in Mozam-
creation in Niassa, one of the country’s poorest bique today do not have access to electricity and
provinces with an electrification rate of just over 53% of firms report electrical outages. Robust
20%. storage technologies are fundamental for the
Globeleq is majority owned by CDC Group, transition to clean energy. CDC will continue
the UK’s development finance institution (DFI) to devote our capital and technical expertise to
and impact investor. innovative uses in the power sector, focused on
By combining grid-connected solar with bat- the path to sustainable energy systems for inclu-
tery storage, the project will help solve network sive growth in our Africa markets.”
management issues and, by allowing some of Globeleq is also developing Mozanbique’s
the solar power to be shifted to different times 450-MW Temane gas-to-power plant and an
of the day, help avoid transmission losses from accompanying transmission line in a project
distant existing sources of supply, Globeleq said worth $1bn that is backed by the World Bank
in a statement. and the US government.
The technology for battery storage is nascent The Temane plant will supply power to
and uptake of utility-scale solutions remains national utility EDM through a 25-year tolling
limited globally. Currently, grants and conces- agreement.
sional finance are often required to demonstrate Gas supply will come from the PSA conces-
the value of this emerging, but potentially trans- sion at the Pande-Temane Inhassoro fields oper-
formative, technology. ated by Sasol Petroleum.
Together with PIDG, CDC Plus (CDC’s tech- Jonathan Hoffman, Globeleq’s chief develop-
nical assistance facility) has provided a grant to ment officer, says: “This project is a trailblazer
Globeleq for the 2-MW/7-MWh storage solu- for future utility-scale energy storage in Mozam-
tion alongside the 19 MWp of solar power. bique and the region. Cuamba Solar Power, along
CDC Plus will also provide support to capture with all our energy projects we are working on,
and disseminate learnings around the battery cements our ongoing commitment to contribute
component’s operational, economic and devel- to the long-term energy security and develop-
opment impact. ment of the country on a low-carbon pathway.”
Globeleq has been actively developing the Emilio Cattaneo, head of PIDG TA, says:
project since 2019 alongside its local partners, “Promoting battery storage solutions alongside
Source Energia and Electricidade de Moçam- green, renewable electricity generation plants is
bique (EDM), the state-owned electricity com- of enormous importance to Africa’s economic
pany, which also is the off-taker for the power. development and the world’s efforts to manage
Chris Chijiutomi, head of Infrastructure climate change. Mozambique is leading positive
Equity, CDC Group, said: “Providing access change and PIDG is proud to be involved with
to power is an essential part of driving eco- bringing the new plant to life.”™
nomic development across Africa. We acquired

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