Work Starts On 35 MW Solar Plant In Angola

• TotalEnergies says it has secured concession for 35 MW Quilemba Solar Project, its 1^st solar facility in Angola
• It is collaborating with Sonangol and Greentech for the facility to come up by 2023-end in Lubango
• Under phase II, the French company said the project may be expanded by 45 MW

French energy company TotalEnergies has secured concession for its maiden solar power plant in Angola's Lubango with 35 MW capacity, which the company claims may be expanded with 45 MW under phase II in the future.

The company is building the project with its partners state oil and gas company Sonangol and Angola Environment Technology (Greentech) and in association with the Ministry of Energy , with the trio holding 51%, 30% and 19% stake in the Quilemba Solar Project, respectively.

The project is scheduled to become commercially operational at the end of 2023. Power generated will be sold to Sonangol under power purchase agreement (PPA) at a fixed price. It will enable the African country to save money spent on sourcing fuel for its existing thermal power plants, and also contribute to its decarbonization.

Along with the Quilemba project, TotalEnergies is also building 2 separate projects in Angola in the oil and gas industries.

"Finally, with Quilemba, we are promoting the country's solar potential and developing a sustainable electricity production model. Thus, with these three projects, TotalEnergies demonstrates its ambition to support Angola in its energy transition by producing low-carbon energy and developing renewables in a country with high potential," said Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanné.

In December 2020 Total Eren, a TotalEnergies company, and Greentech signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA) for 35 MW solar plant in Lubango (see 35 MW Solar PV Project Coming Up In Angola).

Recently, G7 backed Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) picked US solar projects developer Sun Africa's 728 MW Angola solar project comprising utility scale, mini-grids and battery storage along with home power kits and potable water, worth $2 billion (see US To Support 728 MW Solar PV In Angola).