Page 11 - AfrElec Week 22 2022

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Savannah Energy to build 500

MW of solar and storage in Chad

CHAD THE UK’s Savannah Energy has signed an agree- change in the country’s GDP over the course of
ment with the government of Chad to develop the coming years, as well as bringing the signifi-
up to 500 MW of utility-scale renewables in the cant quality of life benefits associated with access
energy-hungry country. to regularised power to the regions in which the
The move will see Savannah Energy supply- projects are situated.”
ing electricity to the Doba Oil Project as well as Chad Energy Minister Djerassem le Bemad-
the towns of Moundou and Doba in the south- jiel said: “we are delighted to work with Savannah
ern region of the country. on these two potentially transformational power
The first project, located in the south of the projects for Chad. Our country is blessed with
country and due to be operational in 2025, com- a significant renewable energy resource and we
prises up to 300 MW of solar PV and a battery are excited that a leading British company such
energy storage system (BESS). as Savannah is seeking to harness this resource to
The tariff for the electricity generated from provide utility-scale power to our country.”
installation is expected to be significantly less The installations are set to significantly scale
than that being paid for the current hydrocar- up electricity production in Chad, which had
bon-based power generation in the region, just 285 MW of generating capacity in 2020,
according to Savannah Energy, which said the according to the International Renewable
installation will provide electricity “on a poten- Energy Agency.
tial 24/7 basis”. With activities in Cameroon, Chad, Niger
Savannah Energy will initially construct a and Nigeria, Savannah Energy earlier this year
300-MW solar PV farm and battery storage sys- secured a deal with the government of Niger to
tem in Komé – dubbed Centrale Solaire de Komé construct the country’s first wind farm, with a
– with electricity supplying the Doba Oil Project. proposed capacity of up to 250 MW at the Tarka
The project will not only ensure a consistent wind farm.
and cost-effective energy source for the project NJ Ayuk, executive chairman of the Afri-
and outlying areas but will also reduce the reli- can Energy Chamber (AEC), said: “Savannah
ance on diesel. The project represents the largest Energy continues to make significant progress
solar development in sub-Saharan Africa. in becoming a fully integrated energy com-
Savannah Energy will also construct a solar pany. As an independent, they remain bullish
and wind project with a capacity to produce in their approach to African energy and for
100 MW per facility. This project, the Centrales that they must be commended. Africa has a
d’Energie Renouvelable de N’Djamena, will lot to offer international independents and
increase Chad’s installed capacity by 63%, with with resources untapped across the oil, gas and
first power anticipated in 2025/26. renewables sectors, the AEC urges other energy
Andrew Knott, CEO of Savannah Energy, companies to learn from Savannah Energy and
said: “Both of these represent a major vote of come [to] invest in and develop Africa’s natural
confidence in Chad by Savannah and have resources.”™
the potential to contribute to a transformative

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