The national electricity company of Burkina Faso (Sonabel) has inaugurated a 33 mega solar farm at Zagtouli in the central region of Burkina Faso.
The project is estimated at € 47.7 million and is funded by the European Union, the French Agency for Development and the Government of Burkina Faso, and is part of the broader agenda for infrastructure and energy development of the government of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.
With approximately 129 000 panels and 32 converters, the project is currently the largest solar power plant in the West African sub-region.
Currently, the country imports about 150 megawatts of power from Ghana, representing 40 percent of its electricity needs.
The facility’s project manager, Mr Souleymane Konate, led a group of journalists from neighboring West African countries around the facility as part of a working tour of the country, saying the project forms part of President Kabore’s agenda for cheap and affordable to provide power for the people.
He said solar power makes up about five percent of Burkina Faso’s energy mix and is expected to increase to about 40 percent of the country’s power needs over the next five years.
Mr Konate said that as part of the president’s vision to industrialize the country, not only power is needed but also cheap, sustainable and affordable.
“It is in the light of this that our president commissioned the solar project in 2016,” he stressed.
Konate said: ‘The promotion of the use of solar energy as part of the country’s energy mix is expected to be increased by five percent by 2020. It is intended to address the inequalities between urban and rural areas and it is in line with this aim that an Agency for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ANEREE) has been created. ‘
He said apart from the fact that solar energy is cheaper and also one of the cleanest forms of energy, its adoption is in line with the adaptable climate change programs.
“We expect to produce up to 600 megawatts by 2025. The current customer price per kilowatt is around 75f; if we manage to increase our capacity, we will be able to reduce these costs borne by the consumer. provided, “he added.
The entire project was commissioned in June 2016 and inaugurated on September 27, 2017 with the capacity to produce 33.7 megawatts, but its operation actually started in 2018.
There are 16 other solar power projects currently underway, and their completion will encourage the country to reach its 30% solar energy threshold.