First in Africa: Floating solar power project in Ivory Coast

Côte d’Ivoire wants to increase renewable energy to 11% of its energy mix by 2020, then to 16% in 2030.

Several projects have already been initiated by the country to help achieve this goal. But the floating solar power station project is a first in the country. According to Thierry Tanoh, the Ivorian Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies. This floating solar power plant will be the first in Africa.

With a value of 80 million euros, it will be financed by a loan from the French Development Agency (AFD). With which the Ivorian government has signed an agreement for “enhanced cooperation in the field of sustainable energy November 29th”.

Ivory Coast’s estimated 2,000 MW of electricity is supplied by 75% of thermal energy and the rest comes from hydroelectric dams. The country has produced just one megawatt of solar power in 2018.

With a network of 5,000 km of high voltage lines and an installed capacity of 2,200 megawatts. Côte d’Ivoire aims to reach the threshold of 4,000 MW of electricity generation in 2020 and 6,600 MW in 2030 thanks to a program of development of its network.