Globeleq has announced that it has officially broken ground on a pioneering solar and storage power project at Cuamba in Northern Mozambique.
The infrastructure and development and finance organization will participate in the development of 19MWpsolar and 7MWh storage power project in order to bring clean power and create jobs in the region.
The $32m project marks a major milestone as it will be one of the first IPP grid-scale storage plants in sub-Saharan Africa. The Cuamba Solar project will provide clean energy to 18000 households and support job creation in Niassa, one of the country’s poorest provinces with an electrification rate of just 20%.
Speaking during the launch of this technology, Head of PIDG PA, Emilio Cattaneo said that promoting battery storage solutions alongside green, renewable electricity generation plants is of enormous importance in Africa’s economic development and the world’s effort to manage the climate.
The project will increase Mozambique’s insufficient power supply by adding clean energy to the Northern grid. Grid-connected solar combined with a solar component will help solve network management issues as well as avoiding transmission losses from distant existing sources of supply.
Globeleq has been actively developing the projections for 2019 alongside its local partners, Source Energia and Electicidade de Mozambique (EDM), The State-owned electricity company, which is also the off-takers for the power.
Chris Chijiutomi who is the Head of Infrastructure Equity, CDC Group explained the steps they have moved since acquiring Globeleqe in 2015 with only 1200MW of the operational power plant to 1400MW operational power plants in 28 locations across six countries today.
“This project is a trailblazer for future utility solar energy storage in Mozambique and the region. Cuamba solar power along with all the energy projects we are working on cement our ongoing commitment to contribute to the long-term energy security and development of the country on a low carbon pathway.” Jonathan Hoffman, Globeleqes Chief Development Officer pointed out during the event.
The chief guests during the launch included The Mozambique Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Dr. Ernesto Max Tonelaa, and Aud Marit Wiig, the Norwegian Ambassador.