Burkina Faso launches tender for 9 MW of solar

• National utility Sonabel intends to develop four solar projects in the communities of Dori, Diapaga and also Gaoua. Interested designers have up until Oct. 5 to send their proposals.

Société Nationale d'électricité du Burkina Faso (Sonabel), the West African nation's nationwide electrical utility, has launched a tender to construct four megawatt-scale PV plants.

Two of the projects-- with a complete ability of 6 MW-- will be developed in the towns of Dori. 2 various other plants with set up capacities of 2 MW as well as 1 MW will be constructed in the communities of Diapaga as well as Gaoua, respectively.

Interested developers have up until Oct. 5 to submit their propositions. The African Development Bank is supporting the tender.

Burkina Faso had just set up 62 MW of PV capability by the end of 2019, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Nonetheless, there are currently a number of large PV projects under growth throughout the nation. As an example, in February French PV designer Urbasolar-- part of Axpo Group-- began constructing a 30 MW solar plant in Pâ, in the Mouhoun Loop region of northwestern Burkina Faso.

The project pipeline additionally consists of projects with capabilities of 20 MW and 15 MW. They are being developed by a consortium formed by France's Quadran and Spain's Soltech and Syscom. The varieties will be built in Zano, Boulgou district, in southeastern Burkina Faso, and in Boucle de Mouhoun, in the main part of the country.