Côte d’Ivoire Exploring Possibility For 70 MW Solar Plant

• Masdar has signed an agreement with Côte d'Ivoire to jointly explore solar energy projects in the African nation
• The plan is to begin with a PV project having between 50 MW to 70 MW installed capacity
• Masdar says this is part of UAE-led initiative Etihad 7 that aims to support 20 GW clean electricity development in Africa by 2035

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company Masdar says it will explore ways to jointly develop solar PV power plants in Côte d'Ivoire along with the country's Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, and the 1^st project of the partnership is planned to have 50 MW to 70 MW capacity.

Côte d'Ivoire targets to increase the share of renewable energy in its total electricity mix by 2030. According to Masdar, this solar power plant will support the country's goal to increase its renewable energy capacity.

At the end of 2021, the African nation had an operational renewable energy capacity of 892 MW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) but the share of solar PV was only 13 MW. A 2021 IRENA study Renewable Energy Transition in Africa pegged technical potential for solar in Côte d'Ivoire at 28.92 GW.

"As part of the new partner structure announced last December, Masdar is looking forward to raising the total clean energy production capacity of its projects portfolio around the world to 100 GW by 2030," said Masdar CEO Mohammed Jamil Al Ramahi. "In light of the expectations that the continent of Africa will witness great development and growth, and the current low level of dependence on clean energy in the continent, we see that there is a great scope for developing the renewable energy sector in Africa."

Masdar says this partnership falls under the ambit of Etihad 7 which is a UAE-led initiative that aims to raise public- and private sector funds to realize 20 GW clean electricity in Africa by 2035 which will support 100 million.

The Abu Dhabi company has already signed agreements for 2 GW renewable energy capacity in Angola, 1 GW in Uganda and 2 GW in Zambia under Etihad 7 initiative (see Masdar To Build $2 Billion Worth Solar Power Plants In Zambia).

In January 2023, another UAE based company AMEA Power signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 50 MW solar power plant in Côte d'Ivoire as the country's 1^st solar independent power producer (IPP) project (see Ivory Coast's 1^st Independent Solar Power Producer Project).