The UAE's Global South Utilities has opened a 50-megawatt solar power complex in the Central African Republic, which is expected to power more than 300,000 homes in the country.
The plant in Sakai, an area near the capital Bangui, is expected to boost the country's electricity generation capacity by more than 60 per cent, Abu Dhabi-based GSU said in a statement on Wednesday.
It is “the largest infrastructure development” in the Central African Republic, GSU said.
It comprises more than 80,000 solar panels and a 15MWh battery energy-storage system. It is expected to reduce more than 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
The boost to the Central African Republic's power is expected to support vital sectors of the economy, including health care, education and public services, in addition to helping businesses grow and attracting investment, GSU said.
The project is “of historic national importance that will help shape the future of the Central African Republic”, said Ali Alshimmari, managing director and chief executive of GSU.
Africa has nearly 20 per cent of the world’s population but lacks reliable access to power, with countries seeking investment to prop up their energy infrastructure.
Electrical power-supply infrastructure in the Central African Republic remains limited and is concentrated around the Boali-Bangui system and the capital, according to latest data from the African Energy Portal.
The country has expanded its installed power capacity in recent years but electrification outcomes remain weak: while national and urban electricity access rose, rural areas remained almost stagnant, with access to clean cooking still extremely low, it said.
Developments such as GSU's are aimed at addressing individual nations' power requirements, and contributing to the continent's long-term economic and social development, Mr Alshimmari said.
The Central African Republic project is GSU's latest in its overseas portfolio, following the delivery of its solar project in Chad. The company has developments and partnerships in Africa, Central Asia and South America.
Projects operated by GSU have a combined power capacity of more than 500MW, which help eliminate about three million tonnes of carbon dioxide yearly, its website says.
