Portuguese EPC service provider MCA says 2 solar PV parks with 286 MW combined capacity that it built in Beneguela, Biopio and Baia Farta were inaugurated in Angola. This includes a 189 MW DC facility, which is the 'largest' solar energy project in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to MCA.
The 189 MW Biopio Solar PV Plant has come up in Catumbela municipality, and the other 96 MW solar project is located in Baia Farta, both locations in Beneguela provicne. Both these projects will feed clean energy generated into the national grid which is enough to cater to about 1.8 million denizens, the company stated on its LinkedIn account.
For the 2 projects inaugurated, the Portuguese company deployed Hanwha Q Cells' Q Peak L-G4.5 solar modules as announced back in April 2021 (see Hanwha Q Cells Supplying Modules For Angola Project).
These projects are part of a set of 7 solar projects with a combined capacity of 370 MW in the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Bie, Lunda-Norte (in Lucapa), Lunda-Sul (in Saurimo) and Moxico (in Luena). All of these projects are scheduled to come online by the end of 2022, and anticipated to cater to around 2.4 million people.
According to MCA, solar power from these facilities will make it possible to eliminate the use of some 215 million liters of diesel annually in generators and in thermal production, leading the country to save on its fossil fuel import bills.
Angola is seeing some heightened solar activity of late. In July 2022, US based Sun Africa had its planned 728 MW solar project for Angola selected as one of the flagship projects under G7 backed Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). The news was followed by France's TotalEnergies securing concession for a 35 MW solar plant here that can be expanded with 45 MW under phase II (see Work Starts On 35 MW Solar Plant In Angola).
.png?w=50&fm=png){kind=logo}