- AfDB has approved $379.6 million financing for 10 GW Desert to Power project for solar energy in G5 Sahel nations
- It is expected to facilitate energy generation from 500 MW solar power capacity for around 695,000 households
- The facility will also support the integration of larger share of variable renewables in the region’s grid through innovate battery storage solutions
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced $379.6 million financing for its flagship 10 GW solar development project Desert to Power (DtP) which is expected to create 500 MW additional solar generation capacity.
This additional capacity is expected to facilitate clean electricity access to around 695,000 households in the G5 Sahel nations of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. AfDB said it will also provide technical assistance for the facility over the next 7 years.
Through DtP, the plan is to develop 10 GW utility scale solar energy capacity across the G5 Sahel nations by 2030, which will also benefit other neighboring nations of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan.
According to the bank, this G5 Sahel Financing Facility will de-risk and catalyze private sector investment in solar energy generation leading to bridging the energy access deficit in some of Africa’s most fragile countries.
“The facility will also support the integration of larger shares of variable renewables in the region’s power systems, notably through the deployment of innovative battery storage solutions and grid investments,” said AfDB’s Acting Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Dr. Daniel Schroth.
In October 2021, the Green Climate Fund committed $150 million funding for the DtP initiative (see $150 Million For Desert To Power Initiative).
