Huge solar plant named after Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed opens in Africa

The plant is one of the largest in West Africa and will power more than 158,000 homes and businesses

The Mohamed bin Zayed solar complex in Blitta, Togo, will supply clean electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses. All photos courtesy: Abu Dhabi Fund for Development

Togo's first solar plant can produce 50 megawatts of clean energy and help increase the country's share of renewable energy to 50 per cent by 2025.

The 50-megawatt project in Blitta was opened on Tuesday at the sprawling 92-hectare site in the Centrales region with Togo's president Faure Gnassingbe attending.

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development - the economic development arm of the UAE Government - provided $15million (AED55m) to finance the project in the form of a concessionary loan.

A huge new solar plant in West Africa named after the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has opened.

The Mohamed bin Zayed complex in Togo will power more than 158,000 homes and small businesses in the eight-million-strong country.

Togo’s first solar plant can produce 50 megawatts of clean energy, enhance the country’s climate goals and reduce its dependence on polluting firewood and charcoal.

This new solar plant will greatly advance the Togolese commitment to combat climate change

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development –  the economic development arm of the UAE Government – provided $15 million (AED55m) for the project in the form of a concessionary loan.

The fund said the 50-megawatt project opened on Tuesday at the 92-hectare site in Blitta, the Centrales region, with Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe attending.

The plant was also supported through a tie-up between the fund and the Abu Dhabi-headquartered International Renewable Energy Agency to support clean energy projects in Africa and around the world.

“We are proud to have this state-of-the-art facility carry the name Mohamed bin Zayed solar complex,” said Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the fund.

“This solar park truly reflects the level of sustainable impact we can achieve through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Irena renewable energy development programme,” he said.

“This new solar plant will greatly advance the Togolese commitment to combat climate change through a shift to clean energy, while creating new jobs, supporting the local business community and expanding community access to social services.”

The Mohamed bin Zayed solar park aims to help Togo increase its share of renewable energy to 50 per cent by 2025. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Fund for Development

The plant will also boost Togolese aspirations to increase its renewable energy share by 50 per cent by 2025 and 100 per cent by 2030, while reducing carbon emissions in the country by more than one million tonnes. The project also created 700 jobs during construction, out of which 80 per cent were Togolese.

“This is a very significant moment in our country,” said Mila Aziable, Togolese Minister for Energy and Mines.

“It marks a positive step on our journey towards building an energy system that is inclusive and clean, and that creates jobs and improves access to energy. Renewables can shape an entirely new and positive era in the development of Togo, and we are extremely grateful to all the partners involved in delivering this project."

The plant is part of the fund's partnership with Irena to advance the development of clean energy alternatives around the world. The fund has committed $350m (Dh1.28 billion) for concessionary loans dedicated to clean energy development projects.

Together they have supported the development of 32 clean energy projects in 26 countries, generating a capacity of 245 megawatts to fuel the power generation needs of more than 4.5 million households and businesses.

“This is a highly significant project not just for Togo but for the whole of West Africa,” said Francesco La Camera, director general of Irena.

“Africa holds tremendous promise for renewable power generation, which can bring improved energy access and reliability of supply while creating jobs and economic opportunity.”

Abu Dhabi’s Noor solar park - in pictures

An aerial image of Noor solar park near Sweihan, Abu Dhabi. The array of 3.2 million panels make it the largest single-site solar site in the world. Courtesy: Noor Abu Dhabi

The plant produces enough electricity to power about 90,000 homes. Pawan Singh / The National

Cleaning dust from the solar panels is crucial to ensuring they work at maximum capacity. Robot cleaners run along the fields of panels throughout the day. Pawan Singh / The National

With the help of the latest technology and robots, a small management team and a daily workforce of about 70 run the huge plant. Pawan Singh / The National

A robot cleaner goes to work on the solar panels. Although the country has an abundance of sun, the panels become covered with dust and lose their effectiveness if not regularly cleaned. Pawan Singh / The National

A herd of camels graze close to Abu Dhabi's Noor solar park. Courtesy: Noor Abu Dhabi

The site is so large it would take hours to cover it on foot. Pawan Singh / The National