Chad

The renewable energy unit of the Total group expects to energize two solar parks next year.

The latest set of clean energy statistics compiled by the International Renewable Energy Agency signal a changing of the guard when it comes to clean power, with legacy hydropower facilities overtaken by new intermittent renewables.

Two 50 MW solar parks are planned to be built near N’Djamena, the country’s capital. These facilities will sell power to the national utility, SNE, at a price of €0.083/kW.

The rise of clean energy and prosumers, net metering and greenhouse gas regulation all figure among the bogeymen as far as national electric companies are concerned.

The minister of finance and budget and the minister of energy have signed a memorandum of understanding with Argentina-based Alcaal Group relating to the feasibility studies of a photovoltaic plant with a capacity of up to 200 MW with large storage capacity on the outskirts of the country’s capital.

The planned power plant marks the first phase of a 60 MW scheme 30km north of the capital, N’Djamena. The overall project is being developed by UK-based Private Infrastructure Development Group and French company Smart Energies International.

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development will support half a dozen megawatt scale projects featuring solar in the Caribbean and Africa. In addition to around 42.5 MW of new solar capacity, the fund will also back the development of energy storage, waste-to-energy and biogas facilities.

An €18 million loan has been provided by the African Development Bank. The solar park, planned for capital N’Djamena, will be coupled to 4 MWh of storage.

The African Development Bank last year disclosed a plan to install 10 GW of solar in the deserts of the Sahel. A recent summit held in Burkina Faso may have brought the ambitious project a step closer.

The plant is set to be built in two phases by UAE-based Amea Power, and will provide electricity to state-owned utility Société Nationale d’Électricité.