Page 14 - AsianOil Week 29 2020

AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

1MWp solar system on the roof of its factory site. minigrid technology. The Mokoloki project
in Willowvale in the capital Harare. The solar Following the transfer of the demonstrates a financially viable business
power plant was built by Distributed Power interconnection infrastructure, the project’s model that could provide electricity access
Africa (DPA), a supplier of off-grid solar O&M contractor will provide O&M services to millions living in underserved rural
systems and a subsidiary of the giant Econet on the BESS for the utility. communities throughout Nigeria.
Global. The project will be the first privately owned “We are delighted to witness strategic
utility-scale renewable energy project in collaborations geared toward accelerating
Chad and will play a leading role in achieving energy access in unserved and underserved
the country’s national development goals, communities across Nigeria. What makes
SOL AR liberalising the energy sector, mobilising this project unique, beyond being Nigeria’s
private investment, and promoting the first commercial undergrid minigrid in a
Chad issues solar tender development of renewable energy. rural community, is the social and economic
transformation that the project ultimately
The African Development Bank is backing
UK-based Private Infrastructure Development the project with an €18mn loan and partial brings to the Mokoloki community,” said
Group (PIDG) and French company Smart risk guarantee. Ahmad Salihijo, MD/CEO of the REA.
Energies International have issued a tender It is estimated only 6.4% of the Chadian “By the time this project stabilises,
seeking an engineering company for a population has access to reliable electricity Mokoloki will be like a town. They will have
planned 32MW solar plant in Chad. and the nation had only 1MW of solar more regular power supply than cities,”
The planned power plant marks the first generation capacity at the end of last year, explained Engr. John Ayodele, IBEDC chief
phase of a 60MW scheme 30km north of the according to IRENA figures. operating officer.
capital, N’Djamena. The US Agency for International IBEDC was the first Nigerian distribution
The Chadian solar plant is the first Development estimates the landlocked company to initiate a tripartite contract
phase of the 60MW Djermaya Solar project country has just 125MW of total power negotiation with a rural community as
being developed by the Aldwych Africa generation capacity, with most of it diesel required for interconnected minigrids by
Developments unit of UK-based InfraCo and heavy fuel oil which primarily serves regulation.
Africa – itself part of PIDG – and French N’Djamena. “We are excited to be in the forefront
renewables developer Smart Energies of undergrid minigrid development in
International. Africa as a scalable and sustainable business
Development of the project will be phased opportunity with good social impact on our
to gradually integrate renewable power into MINIGRIDS host communities,” added Anayo Okenwa
Chad’s national grid. The project is under a Nas, chief executive officer of Nayo Tech.
25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) Nigeria’s first commercial Using a modular design approach, the
with the Société Nationale d’Electricité (SNE), solar-hybrid minigrid initially provides
Chad’s national utility company. undergrid minigrid project 100kW of generation for an estimated peak
The plant includes PV modules mounted load of 88kW, with an expansion plan in
on single-axis trackers, inverters, and successfully launched place for anticipated load growth. After
step-up transformers. The interconnection three months of operation, it is serving 230
infrastructure includes an 18km 33kV Rocky Mountain Institute(RMI), IBEDC, households and over 60 commercial and
aerial double-circuit transmission line, two and Nayo Tech, with support from the public enterprises.
33/90kV step-up transformers at the Lamadji Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE
substation, and a 4.0MWh battery energy (REA), joined forces to accelerate the
storage system (BESS) located on the project commercial deployment of undergrid

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 29 23•July•2020