A new photovoltaic solar power plant is coming on stream in Angola. This is the first phase of the Caraculo photovoltaic solar power plant in Namibe province, in the south-west of the country. The plant was recently inaugurated in the presence of several Angolan officials, including the Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, and his counterpart in charge of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges.
The commissioning of the Caraculo photovoltaic solar power plant is “a very important step taken by our national operator, Sonangol, towards its transformation from an oil company into an energy company, bringing its commercial activities into line with current global industry practices”, said Minister Diamantino Azevedo. The solar park was built under a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Angolan state and Solenova.
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It is a joint venture between the Italian oil company Eni and Angola’s Sonangol. The first phase, which is now operational, will add 25 MWp of solar power to Angola’s electricity mix. Solenova will increase the plant’s capacity to 50 MWp.
With this solar park, “the province of Namibe will have cheaper electricity, an abundant and regular source of energy throughout the year, which will translate into significant savings in terms of fuel costs and will mainly reduce the level of local unemployment, since the project has employed more than 400 inhabitants of this province who will participate in the daily management of the plant, which translates into a significant social impact”, says Sonangol. Above all, the Caraculo plant will enable Angola to diversify its electricity mix. According to Power Africa, the southern African country relies on dams for 56% of its electricity production.
Jean Marie Takouleu