$150 Million For Desert To Power Initiative

Green Climate Fund Backs AfDB’s 10 GW Solar PV Plan For Africa’s Sahel

$150 Million For Desert To Power Initiative

After G5 Sahel nations validated AfDB’s Desert to Power solar initiative in September 2021, GCF has committed $150 million for the same. (Illustrative Photo; Photo Credit: abriendomundo/Shutterstock.com)

  • GCF has approved $150 million funding for AfDB’s Desert to Power initiative
  • Through the initiative, AfDB aims G5 Sahel nations to establish 10 GW of solar PV capacity by 2030
  • AfDB plans to mobilize $996 million over 7-year implementation period for G5 Desert to Power G5 Financing Facility

International fund for climate friendly projects Green Climate Fund (GCF) has pledged $150 million to support African Development Bank’s (AfDB) flagship project Desert to Power (DtP) through which the latter aims to develop 10 GW solar PV capacity in the Sahel region.

This 10 GW capacity is to be developed through public, private, grid and off-grid projects by 2030, benefiting Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan along with the G5 Sahel nations of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. The last 5 nations are part of the DtP initiative.

GCF has committed this money to the Desert to Power G5 Financing Facility, an umbrella fund through which G5 Sahel nations can access support to develop this capacity in the region. AfDB aims to mobilize $996 million over the project’s 7-year implementation period.

The 5 Sahel nations validated the DtP initiative in September 2021 (see AfDB’s Desert To Power Initiative Moves Forward).

The bank’s Vice President Dr. Kevin Kariuki called it a shot in the arm for the initiative, while GCF Deputy Executive Director Javier Manzanares said, “The Desert to Power G5 Sahel Facility has the potential to make an enormous difference in people’s lives across the Sahel by tapping into the immense potential of solar energy, generating cheaper, reliable, and low-emission electricity.”

AfDB said the facility will be implemented under 3 components comprising grid investments and storage solutions to de-risk solar IPPs; concessional finance and guarantees for new solar IPPs to add more than 500 MW solar, and technical assistance to support the creation of a clear and predictable environment for private sector solar investments and development of adequate capacity of national institutions in G5 Sahel nations.

About The Author

Anu Bhambhani

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Anu is our solar news whirlwind. At TaiyangNews, she covers everything that is of importance in the world of solar power. In the past 9 years that she has been associated with TaiyangNews, she has covered over thousands of stories, and analysis pieces on markets, technology, financials, and more on a daily basis. She also hosts TaiyangNews Conferences and Webinars. Prior to joining TaiyangNews, Anu reported on sustainability, management, and education for leading print dailies in India. [email protected]

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