Release by Scatec, a distributed solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) solution, will expand its solar and storage capacity in Cameroon by 28.6 MW and 19.2 MWh across two solar power plants.
Scatec has signed two lease agreements with Cameroon’s national electricity company, ENEO. The deals will expand Scatec’s solar and battery storage capacity in the country to 64.4 MW of solar and 38.2 GWh of BESS, spread across two locations.
The company completed the solar power plants in Maroua and Guilder, northern Cameroon, in September 2023. The projects currently have 35.8 MW of solar capacity and 19 MWh of storage.
Scatec secured financing for the projects through last year’s capital increase, when Climate Fund Managers acquired a 32% stake equity interest.
“In addition to improving electricity supply in Cameroon and significantly reducing the costs and CO2 emissions of alternative generation based on diesel supply, these groundbreaking leasing contracts with ENEO serve as a model for access to affordable clean energy for other countries and major energy consumers in the region,” said Release CEO Hans Olav Kvalvaag.
Kvalvaag added that the company expects to complete and implement more projects soon. Once completed, ENEO estimates that the plants will supply energy to 200,000 households and generate 141.5 GWh per year. The BESS ensures a stable energy supply during peak hours.
“This step will enable ENEO to further secure energy generation in the northern regions while improving the quality of service for households and the industrial sector in these regions,” said Amine Homman Ludiye, CEO of ENEO Cameroon. “This new step towards more reliable and carbon-free energy is part of ENEO’s strategy, which is central to its ongoing efforts, under the auspices of the Government of Cameroon, to sustainably improve available energy in Cameroon.”
Cameroon had 50 MW of installed solar energy at the end of 2023, up from 14 MW at the end of last year, according to figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The country announced in April this year a customs duty exemption for PV modules, inverters, charge controllers, batteries and cables intended for rooftop solar systems.
Earlier this year, Terje Pilskog, CEO of Scatec, spoke pv magazine about the company’s ongoing solar projects in South Africa, Botswana and Egypt.
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