The solar farm sits adjacent to the existing 100 megawatts Gorou Banda Thermal Power Station, in Gorou Banda, in Commune V of the city of Niamey, the capital and largest city in the country.[2] This is located on the southwest bank of River Niger, across the river from the central business district of the city, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) southeast of the Stade Général Seyni Kountché.[3]
As of September 2021, Niger''s national generation capacity was reported as 284 megawatts, all of it derived from expensive "fossil fuels".[4] The national electrification rate was 18.8 percent, in 2019, with the government of Niger aiming to raise that rate to 80 percent by 2035, with 30 percent of generating capacity derived from renewable sources.[1][5]
The Gorou Banda Solar Plant represents the first grid-ready renewable energy source in the country. The electricity generated at this power station will be sold to Société Nigérienne d''Electricité (Nigelec), the electricity company of Niger. The World Bank''s "Scaling Solar" program works in a complimentary manner to meet the goals of the stakeholders.[5]
In September 2021, the Government of Niger called for pre-qualification of eligible IPPs to tender for the construction of this power station. "Interested IPPs have until 22 November 2021 to apply". IFC is acting as advisor to the government of Niger, in this process.[5]
In February 2022, six IPPs were selected in the first round to continue bidding for the rights to develop this power station. Those six winners are identified in the table below.[6]
The construction costs were estimated at US$70 million in 2020.Two institutions have pledged financial support. The French Development Agency (AFD) has agreed to lend €23.5 million and the European Union has promised to lend €5 million towards this development.[2]
In July 2023, it was reported that the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor on the first phase f the project was a consortium comprising French companies Sogemcom and Akuo Energy. The solar farm is expected to reach commercial commissioning in August 2023.[7][8]
One defining characteristic of Abdoul-Kader is his unwavering desire to serve. He wholeheartedly devotes himself to his family, friends, and community. "I spent some time outside my village, in the city of Agadez, where I went to study. After graduating I remained there to work. But one thought consumed my mind - to return and contribute to the well-being of my community," he expresses with deep conviction.
Ingall, the rural commune from which he originates, is in the Agadez region, over 850 kilometers away from the capital Niamey, and serves as a crossroads for several communities, notably Tuareg, Peuls, and also the Hausa community. Every year, during the rainy season, vast herds migrate towards the salted pastures and springs to the north of Ingall, crossing the clays of Ighazer.
Livestock farming is the main economic activity and primary source of income for the inhabitants of Ingall. However, for the past few years, rainfall has become increasingly erratic, and the drought period has extended, significantly affecting the livestock. This year was no exception and several Agadez region communes, including Ingall, were severely affected by extreme heat, resulting in the death of numerous animals. The situation has significantly impacted the well-being of the population, including the youth, who represent the majority and also practice livestock farming.
The lack of opportunities has also led to a mass exodus of young people to other major towns in the country, or even neighboring countries. "More and more young people are migrating to the cities of Agadez and Tahoua in search of opportunities. To counter this trend, I thought of training some of them in renewable energies so as to provide them with alternative sources of income," said Abdoul-Kader.
Abdoul-Kader specializes in electrical installation for buildings. He also provides electrical equipment services. More recently, he has branched out into renewable energies, with a particular focus on training and coaching young people.
His business had a rocky start. "At the beginning, we barely managed to complete ten or 15 installations at most," he says. "Electricity lasted no more than 12 hours a day, and there weren''t many NIGELEC subscribers. A single meter supplied an entire neighborhood of Ingall," he explains.
If Abdoul-Kader''s business is flourishing today, it''s thanks to the new Ingall solar power plant. With a 750 kilowatts capacity, the plant now provides a 24-hour electricity service to the entire commune, when power only used to be available from 10 am to midnight. "Previously we all slept in the dark. Now, thanks to the power plant reinforcement, we can sleep in the light," says Rhissa Ag Mohamed, the first deputy mayor of Ingall.
TheNiger Solar Electricity Access Project (NESAP),aimed at enhancing electricity access in rural and peri-urban areas of Niger through solar energy, started in 2017 It has built 15 solar power plants in total across various regions of Niger. This transformative project, funded by the World Bank through the International Development Association (IDA), will enable Niger to better balance its energy mix, which is currently largely dominated by thermal energy. This initiative is particularly crucial for a country that frequently faces climatic shocks.
Out of the 15 solar power plants, 12 are operational as of July 2023. Implemented by NIGELEC, the plants have demonstrated excellent results in enhancing access to high-quality electrical services for underserved households and businesses in the project''s specified areas. The electrification rate in these isolated centers is projected to increase from 20% to 75% once all the solar power plants are fully operational and the new connections completed.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, as the health system began to shake, the project was subsequently restructured with an emergency response component added to undertake immediate measures to manage the risks associated with COVID-19 impacts. This supported the government''s efforts to respond to the pandemic.
Funds were allocated to finance solar systems and ensure adequate health services in some of the health facilities. As a result, 73 health centers which had no electricity, have been electrified using autonomous solar photovoltaic systems with storage, guaranteeing a 24-hour power supply.
The Kankandi Health Center located approximately 40 kilometers from the main town in the Dosso region of the same name, serves around fifteen villages. Prior to the installation of solar panels, it had no functional electricity supply. Attendance at the center was low, with barely a dozen deliveries - the primary reason for consultations - compared to around thirty now. The health center is also equipped with refrigerator to preserve vaccines.
"Before, the health center relied solely on daylight with consultations only taking place during the day. From 7 pm onwards, patients, especially women, would quickly return home to avoid the darkness. Now, the center operates 24/7 and patients come all the time. It gives us hope for our children, they can access basic services at all times," says Harouna Adamou, president of the Kankandi management committee, with a big smile.
The solar plant has been declared a project of strategic interest to fast-track construction. It will be located at the 100 MW Gorou Banda thermal power station commissioned 18 months ago.
Niger''s Council of Ministers has announced it has examined and adopted a draft decree declaring the 20 MW solar power station at Gorou Banda near Niamey, the country''s capital, to be of public utility.
The project will be realized at the diesel-fueled Gorou Banda thermal power plant, and is intended to diversify sources of energy production and reduce operating costs by replacing part of the diesel thermal generation with solar energy, whose cost is more competitive, the country''s cabinet stated. The development comes despite the fact the 100 MW power station was commissioned only in April 2017, and that around CFA75 billion ($132 million) was invested in it.
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