Cameroon’s Minister of Water and Electricity inaugurated the Maroua and Guider solar hybrid and battery storage plants on September 22. The two plants have a combined capacity of 36MW solar and 20MW/19MWh of storage.
According to Eneo, the project launched in mid-2021 and the first megawatts of electricity were fed to the system in January 2022. The Maroua and Guider solar power plants were built by Release by Scatec. . As panels were installed, the operational capacities of both structures increased accordingly. These power plants help balance supply and demand in the North Interconnected Grid.
This supply and demand balance is now guaranteed due to a combination of factors:
- the high-water level on River Benoue, which makes it possible to fill the Lagdo appropriately and as such to make sure the power plant generates power optimally.
- Additional thermal capacities increased in Djamboutou, Ngaoundere, Maroua and Kousseri;
- Develop major solar power stations: Guider and Maroua are the first, where other additional projects are also underway
“We are pleased that this day is finally here, and we get to celebrate this major milestone at Release, where we pride ourselves in making renewable energy easily accessible and affordable across growth markets,” stated Hans Olav Kvalvaag, CEO at Release.
The Release by Scatec pre-assembled solar power and battery storage system is a unique solution and the first of its kind to be deployed in Cameroon. The Maroua and Guider solar power plants are an innovative solution, and they are equipped with over 44,800 bifacial solar panels mounted on trackers, which will help maximize energy production throughout the day. The installations will generate 80 GWh of electricity each year. We are proud to say that our fight against climate change will be evident, as the plants will make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions, with an estimated saving of almost 60,000 tonnes per year.
According to Release by Scatec, “The solar power plants have been completed in phases generating electricity throughout 2022 and are now fully completed. There have been reports of significant improvements of electricity supply in the northern parts of Cameroon. Regions that fall under the Northern Interconnected Network were prone to experiencing power outages. Today we are proud to say that they have more stable power in the country courtesy to our rapidly deployable leasing solution. Residents and industries are benefiting from the two solar power projects in the northern parts of Cameroon.”