UAE installs eight solar energy plants in Mauritania

The UAE has helped double Mauritania’s clean energy capacity by delivering and installing eight new rural solar energy plants. Courtesy Apco Worldwide

ABU DHABI // The UAE has helped double Mauritania’s clean energy capacity by delivering and installing eight new rural solar energy plants.

The plants, sponsored by Masdar, will supply an additional 16.6 megawatts of electricity, which will power about 39,000 homes and save 27,850 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, president of Mauritania, inaugurated the projects in the city of Atar, one of the sites of the eight photovoltaic power plants, at an event coinciding with Mauritania’s National Day on November 28 and UAE National Day on December 2. Also present was Essa Abdulla Massoud Al Kalbani, the UAE ambassador to the country, and representatives from Masdar.

“The eight projects bring economic and social benefits to Mauritania, providing opportunities for training and knowledge-exchange and creating the foundations for long-term growth and development to the local community,” said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar.

“These projects contribute to the government’s energy and economic diversification strategy. Our drive to implement a series of ambitious wind, hydroelectric and solar power projects will contribute significantly to growing the share of renewables in Mauritania’s future energy mix,” said Dr Mohamed Abdul Fattah, Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines of Mauritania.

Masdar was selected as the preferred partner of Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité, Mauritania’s national energy provider, following the successful delivery of the 15MW Sheikh Zayed Solar Power Plant in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott in 2013.