A new solar park with battery storage will bring power to 250,000 people in the Central Africa Republic’s capital city of Bangui. The facility was inaugurated by President Faustin Archange Touadera on November 17.
The solar facility will displace over 90% of energy currently generated by diesel while generating more than $4 million per year for the city’s energy utility. The 25-Megawatt plant will also contribute to a net emissions reduction of 670,674 tons of CO2 generation.
Chinese company Shanxi Construction Investissement Group is implementing the project.
The plant is financed by World Bank grants and private investors. It’s the first of several projects to expand clean energy in the country, including utility-scale solar, mini-grids and off-grid solutions for homes, public facilities such as schools and hospitals, and other uses such as irrigation pumps and refrigerators.
By 2030, more than half of all people in CAR are expected to have access to electricity — up from just 18% today.
To speed the solar park’s development, the World Bank directly supported CAR to procure resources and supplies to overcome barriers in a complex and fragile environment.