Page 13 - AfrElec Week 36 2021

AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

signs power deal in Senegal raw materials, titanium and zircon that GCO kind in Africa uses blockchain technology,
produces will be positively impacted. This
leveraging both the Bitcoin Lightning
Solar energy provider CrossBoundary concrete commitment to low-carbon energy Network (BLN) and the Whive Protocol. As a
Energy has signed an agreement with Grande reflects the values and ambition of GCO and result, communities can share energy amongst
Côte Operations (GCO), the subsidiary of Eramet’s teams to provide solutions to the themselves over the BLN as well as store
French group Eramet. The agreement covers climate challenge and to the well-being of all,” excess energy in the form of Whive digital
the installation of a 13 MW hybrid solar explains Guillaume Kurek, GCO’s CEO. tokens.
power plant with storage for the company’s The BLN is a second layer network built on
operations in Diogo, north-western Senegal. Bitcoin’s blockchain that enables transactions
CrossBoundary Energy’s project portfolio to be automated by the MSBX in real-time,
is growing in West Africa. The electricity BLOCKCHAIN while decreasing the costs associated with
access solutions provider has signed an using Bitcoin’s layer 1 blockchain.
agreement with Grande Côte Operations BitHub Africa to use
(GCO) to build a hybrid solar power plant in
Diogo. The subsidiary of the French mining Melanin Smart Box
and metallurgical group Eramet mines ACCESS-TO -POWER
mineral sands in this locality, which is located technology in Kenya
more than 100 km from the Senegalese capital AfDB praises Sahara
Dakar. This activity requires a significant BitHub Africa in collaboration with Hivos
amount of energy. East Africa deployed its first blockchain- Group’s access-to-power
GCO now wants to produce this energy backed sustainable energy workable solution
from renewable sources, in particular called the Melanin Smart Box (MSBX) at a work in Africa
photovoltaic solar energy, hence the Maasai village known as Singiraine in Kajiado,
partnership with CrossBoundary Energy. The Kenya. This deployment follows five years of African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
Nairobi, Kenya-based company will finance, research and development by BitHub Africa at President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina has
build and operate a 13MW hybrid solar power its research lab in Nairobi. commended the Sahara Group, the largest
plant, which will be connected to a battery These efforts were made possible in privately-owned power generation and
storage system capable of storing 8MW of partnership with the County Government of distribution business in sub-Saharan Africa,
electricity to meet the quarry’s needs after Kajiado, allowing for the installation of the for boosting power supply in Nigeria, through
sunset or during bad weather. initial pilot phase at a local dispensary, school its Egbin Power Plant and Ikeja Electric Plc.
On site, the solar panels and batteries will and church within the village. The community Speaking at Sahara Group’s 25th
be installed by juwi Renewable Energies, a has applauded the project, which they say is Anniversary celebration, Adesina emphasized
subsidiary of juwi AG. Under the agreement proving to be highly valuable to them. the need for Africa to achieve universal
signed between the two companies, GCO “There was no proper lighting in many access to electricity as soon as possible. He
will purchase the electricity generated by the local institutions at the village coupled with urged Sahara Group to sustain its role in
CrossBoundary solar power plant for a period insecurity at night. Since we got Melanin setting industry standards for environmental
of 15 years. Solar, we have made savings on costs that sustainability, spearheading the transition to
“The clean, renewable and available would go towards purchasing petrol,” Village renewable energy, and accelerating affordable
energy from this hybrid plant will contribute Elder, Singiraine village. electricity access to low-income households
to GCO’s environmental and economic Melanin Solar, one of the forerunner and small and medium-size enterprises.
performance. The environmental value of the projects by BitHub Africa and the first of its “Africa’s future is bright. Nigeria’s future is

Week 36 09•September•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P13